§ Mr. PETOasked the Minister of Munitions whether his attention has been called to a resolution passed at a meeting of the Western Counties National Trade Defence Association, asking for an adequate rebate in the Licence Duty in view of the restricted hours for the sale of intoxicating liquor in the counties of Berks, Gloucestershire, Somerset, and Wilts; and whether, as the trading hours are now reduced in these areas scheduled by the Central Control Board by about two-thirds of the normal time, he will take steps to see that a more adequate allowance of Licence Duty than the one-fourth now allowed is granted?
§ Mr. McKENNAMy right hon. Friend has asked me to answer this question. My attention has recently been drawn to the resolution referred to, which urges that the present allowance of one-fourth of the Licence Duty, where hours of sale of intoxicating liquor are curtailed, should be increased to at least one-half. I am afraid I cannot adopt the proposal.1238W Apart from the loss to the revenue which its adoption would involve, I do not think that a case has been made out that the curtailment of the hours of sale alone has, generally, caused a diminution of one-half of the retail trade in liquor.