asked the Minister of Works what were the terms of the recommendation by the Ministry of Food upon which he granted the licence for £4,500 to Messrs. Kenaldo Limited in respect of 96, Piccadilly, W.I, the terms of the recommendation of the Ministry of Fuel and Power upon which a licence of £4,200 was granted in respect of the same premises; what information he had as to the use to which it was intended to put the premises before these licences were granted; how many persons can be accommodated in the premises when used as a restaurant; and what steps were taken to ensure that the expenditure upon the work undertaken was not excessive in relation to the accommodation to be made available.

The Ministry of Food supported the issue of the licence for £4,500 on the grounds that there was very considerable public need in the area for additional restaurant facilities. The Ministry of Fuel and Power supported the licence for £4,200 on the grounds of fuel efficiency; the work related to the building as a whole and was not confined to the restaurant. When the £4,500 licence was granted last January my information was that the premises would be used as a popular restaurant to seat 450 persons. The work was considered as the minimum necessary to meet requirements.

Does the Minister really need the assistance of the Ministry of Food to tell him that there is ample restaurant accommodation available in the Piccadilly area? Is he aware that the present difficulty is for existing restaurants to get food for their customers?

The Minister requires and needs, as every Minister does, the co-operation of his colleagues in carrying out his functions, and I think it is essential that I should consult the Ministries concerned before making a final decision. Therefore, I did that, and having received their strong recommendation I thought I was only doing the right thing in allowing the licence to go forward.