§ 76. Mr. Hector Hughesasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many cinema theatres in Scotland have closed during each of the last five years; what was the reduction in cinema seats available for public use thereby caused; what proportions each of these figures bears to those cinemas and those seats, respectively, remaining open and available for public use; and what was, during each of those five years, the reduction in the amount of entertainment tax paid in Scotland as a result of the closing of those cinemas and the reduction in the number of cinema seats available for public use.
§ Mr. SimonThe number of cinemas closed in Scotland during the last five years was:
Details about seating capacity are not available in the form required but after allowing for cinemas which have opened—or re-opened—there was during the period 1st January, 1952, to 31st December, 1957, a net reduction of 42 cinemas representing a reduction in seating capacity of some 37,000. The number of cinemas in Scotland was 7 per cent. less and the seating capacity available just over 6 per cent. less at the end of 1957 than at the beginning of 1952. No information is available as to the reduction in the revenue from the Entertainments Duty resulting from these closures.
1953 13 1954 5 1955 8 1956 14 1957 15 55