HC Deb 19 February 1948 vol 447 cc257-8W
86. Mr. Levy

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make known any available statistics or other evidence on which he bases his view that mid-week greyhound racing has an injurious effect upon production; and that other forms of mid-week sport have no such effect.

Mr. Ede

Restrictions were imposed on mid-week sport, including greyhound racing, last year because the Government had information showing that these events were responsible for absenteeism and dislocation of transport. There are no statistics as to the improvement of production resulting from the curtailment of mid-week events, but from information obtained over the country as a whole the Government are satisfied that to relax or discontinue the restrictions now in force could not fail to have a harmful effect on production.

88. Mr. H. Hynd

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of the suspension of industrial staggering of hours from 29th March, he will suspend the ban on midweek sport for the evenings of the summer months.

Mr. Ede

No.