§ Mr. J. Johnsonasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the amount of profits from the municipal sales of liquor to Africans in the copper belt during the last five years; and how many community centres have been built with money from that source.
§ Mr. Profumo, pursuant to his reply [OFFICIAL REPORT, 19th June, 1958; Vol. 589, c. 1310], supplied the following information:
The estimated profits from the sales of liquor to Africans in the five municipal areas on the Copperbelt during the five years 1953 to 1957 amounted to £495,313. These profits may only be used for services for Africans including new beer halls, welfare halls, general welfare services, sports fields, cinemas, markets and general amenities. To the end end of 1957, £294,174 had been spent on these services and the balance will be spent in 1958 or retained as a necessary working reserve.
No community centres have been built wholly from these funds as, in the past, the erection of community halls and welfare centres has normally been financed from loans to local authorities, by Government grants or by voluntary effort. Beer hall profits have however been used to supplement these sources in the building of such centres.
It is anticipated that some local authorities may in future be in a position to make direct appropriations of profits for the full cost of construction of such buildings. The running cost of community halls and welfare centres are financed from beer hall profits and Government grants.