§ Mr. SHERWELLasked the Homo Secretary if his attention has been called to the efforts now being made to induce compensation authorities in England and Wales to abstain from imposing the statutory compensation levies, or to reduce the amount of such levies, for reasons other than those set forth in the Licensing (Consolidation) Act, 1910; and whether his attention has been called to the fact that it is the statutory duty of such authorities, in considering the imposition of the statutory levies, to have sole regard to the existence or otherwise of redundant licences in their districts?
§ Mr. McKENNAI am aware that efforts have been made in the past and are now being made with the objects stated in the question. As shown in the licensing statistics for 1911, some authorities 1467W abstained for that year from imposing the charges contemplated by Section 21 of the Licensing (Consolidation) Act, 1910, for the purpose of the extinction of redundant licences; and others imposed charges at reduced rates. In consequence, the funds available in 1911 for compensating persons interested in extinguishing licences were very considerably less than they ought to have been. I believe the same thing has happened in the current year, but the figures are not yet in my possession. I have no authority to lay down the law in the matter, but Section 21 of the Act of 1910 provides in precise terms that every compensation authority shall in each year, unless they certify to the Secretary of State that it is unnecessary to do so in any year for the purpose of their powers and duties under the Act as Compensation Authority, impose charges at rates not exceeding the rates shown in the Third Schedule to the Act; and it appears to me that an Authority cannot properly certify that it is unnecessary to impose the charges unless they are satisfied that there are no redundant licences in their area— save, perhaps, in a case where other and not less effective arrangements for the extinction of licences without compensation are in active operation. In the same way, any reduction of the charge below the maximum must depend on the amount of work still to be done in extinguishing redundant licences. The Compensation Authority ought not to reduce the charge below the maximum unless they are satisfied after exhaustive inquiry that the total sum obtainable by levying the full charge will not be required for the purpose of paying compensation in respect of licences which ought to be extinguished.
§ Mr. SHERWELLasked the Home Secretary the number and names of the compensation authorities in England and Wales, who, in the present year, have imposed less than the maximum charges for compensation levy set forth in Schedule 3, Part I., of the Licensing (Consolidation) Act, 1910, and the proportion of the maximum charge imposed in each case?
§ Mr. McKENNAThis information is not yet in my possession. It forms part of the statistics for the year, which are collected as soon as possible after the end of the year.