Mr. NEWDEGATEasked. the Home Secretary whether, seeing that under Section (25) of The Licensing Act, 1902, the secretary of every registered club has to annually fill up a return giving, amongst other particulars, the number of members of the club, that the number of members so returned has to be recorded on the register, and that the register of clubs in each district therefore contains the number of the members of clubs in which intoxicating liquor is supplied, he will have a Return prepared showing the figure of the membership of these clubs in England and Wales in each year since The Licensing Act, 1902, came into operation; and whether he will arrange for the statistics of the membership of these clubs being included in future in the annual volume of licensing statistics?
§ Mr. H. GLADSTONEThe question of collecting and publishing in the licensing statistics figures as to the membership of registered clubs has often been considered, but it has been thought that to do so would serve no useful purpose at all commensurate with the trouble and expense involved. I have again considered the matter, but see no reason to disagree with previous decisions.