§ Mr. H. LAWasked the Secretary to the Treasury if brewers who are unable or unwilling to supply their customers with an amount of beer proportionate to that supplied in 1915–16 are bound to issue certificates which can be transferred to other brewers for the purpose of enabling the balance of supply to be obtained; whether he is aware that certain firms refuse to issue such certificates; and what steps will be taken in the matter?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANI have been asked to reply. Licence holders and persons having the same rights as licence holders under Section 5 of the Output of Beer (Restrictions) Act, 1916, are entitled to obtain certificates in the circumstances mentioned in the question. Any brewer who refuses to issue a certificate to a person entitled to obtain it from him is guilty of a summary offence against the Defence of the Realm Regulations; but I am not aware of any case in which such refusal has occurred. If the hon. Member has different information and will supply me with particulars I will cause inquiries to be made.