§ Mr. Nallyasked the President of the Board of Trade what action has been 448W taken to implement his promise that before issuing licences for paper to football pool organisations his Department would satisfy itself that each of such firms was properly conducted and giving a reasonable return of revenues in dividends to its clients; in how many cases a licence has been refused because this condition of licence was not fulfilled; and what is the number of applications at present being examined by his Department.
§ Mr. H. WilsonIn considering applications for licences it is the practice to obtain the information necessary to be satisfied that the applicant is carrying on a legitimate business but anything beyond this is not a function of the control of paper. No licences have been refused on this account up to the present. Eight applications for licences are under consideration.
§ Mr. Nallyasked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that official figures indicate that the number of postal packets sent out by football pool organisations in the Cardiff area has doubled since October, 1946; if he is satisfied that this increase has been made in accordance with the agreement arrived at between him and the principal football pool promoters; and what action he proposes to take.
§ Mr. H. WilsonI am aware of the official figure quoted by my right hon. Friend the Postmaster-General in the House on 2nd December, but as my hon. Friend will appreciate we have terminated our arrangements with the football pool promoters under which they gave undertakings as to the amount of paper which they would use and we are now operating under the provisions of a Statutory Order which enables us to prescribe the amount of paper which may be distributed in connection with football pools by individual pool promoters.