76. Mr. W. T. Williamsasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he intends that the Licensed Premises Committee appointed by his Department to plan the distribution of licensed premises in the Warrington New Town area shall be empowered to deal with licensing applications other than by meetings held in public, and for what reason is it proposed to grant them powers of private decision denied to other licensing authorities.
§ Mr. CarlisleIt is for the committee to decide whether or not to sit in private. When dealing with individual applications its functions are different from those of local licensing justices; it acts in an administrative capacity and is concerned solely to consider, on reference from the justices, whether an application conforms to its proposals for the distribution of licensed premises in the area.