§ Mr. CROSSLEYasked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been called 461W to the many attempts now being made to evade the Children Act, whereby children are left in charge of potmen and nurses while their parents are taking intoxicants inside the public-house, or sit with their parents in the porches, passages, and other portions of licensed premises; whether he proposes to take any steps to prevent the evasion of the spirit of the Act; and to what extent the efforts now being made to compromise the Act, by providing private rooms on licensed premises where parents may be supplied with drink when accompanied with their children, has the sanction of the police authorities?
§ Mr. GLADSTONEThere appears to be some misapprehension as to the provisions of the Act. As I have already pointed out, the Act does not wholly exclude children from licensed premises. Section 120 prohibits the presence of children only in an open drinking bar, or any part of the licensed premises exclusively or mainly used for the sale and consumption of intoxicating liquor. If a private room is mainly used for the sale and consumption of intoxicating liquor, a child cannot legally go there; if it is not so used, a child can be admitted, and there is no ground for action by the police.