§ 104 and 105. Mr. Hastingsasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what is the nature of the recommendation he has received from the Liverpool licensing magistrates concerning the imposition of heavier fines for drunkenness; and whether, before taking this or similar proposals into consideration he will arrange for an inquiry to be made as to whether adequate penalties are being or can be imposed on those 59W who in public house, club or off-licensed shop supply drink to young persons under 18 years of age.
(2) if he is aware that the reports of chief constables of Liverpool and other towns indicate that the convictions for drunkenness of young persons under 18 years of age have practically doubled in the last four years for the country as a whole; and whether he will institute an inquiry to discover whether the young people concerned get their intoxicants and the habit of consuming them from public house, home or club.
§ Mr. R. A. ButlerThe licensing justices for the Liverpool County Petty Sessional Division have expressed to me the opinion that the penalties for drunkenness are totally inadequate having regard to the change in the value of money. As indicated in reply to a Question by the hon. Member for Liverpool, Exchange (Mrs. Braddock) on 24th April, I am concerned about the increase in drunkenness among young persons, and I am considering ways of obtaining more information about the problem. I am also, as I stated in reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Crosby (Mr. Page) on 13th March, examining small statutory fines with a view to bringing them into line with the present-day value of money.