Mr. STRAUSSasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is aware of the hardship which has been inflicted by the Finance Act of 1910 on the present holders of on-licences combined with off-licences by taking away one of the two licences; and will he make provisions in his next Finance Bill redressing the present injustice?
§ Mr. LLOYD GEORGEWhen the proposed legislation in respect to licences as now embodied in the Finance (1909–10) Act, 1910, was under consideration, attention was directed to the fact that, in some instances, the holder of an on-licence for the sale of one description of liquor was also the holder of an off-licence for the sale of another description of liquor. This system was regarded as clearly open to objection, and the Provision No. 2, applicable to retailers' licences in the First Schedule to the Finance Act, was accordingly inserted for the express purpose of abolishing it. I do not recollect that any objection was taken to the provision at any stage of the Bill, and it is probable that it only operates as a restriction in a very few cases. I shall be glad to consider any case which the hon. Member may wish to bring before me, but I cannot undertake to insert any provision in the next Finance Bill with a view to permitting a continuance of the system.