§ Mr. Galeasked the Paymaster General if he will quantify the number of jobs that might be created by liberalising the licensing laws in England and Wales.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeWe cannot make forecasts of specific numbers of jobs which might be created if licensing laws were liberalised. It would depend on the extent and form of liberalisation and how the trade and consumers responded to the opportunities. The licensed trade have estimated that some 25,000 new jobs in public houses alone might be created by the introduction of flexible hours.