Mr. Dunne: As the hon. Gentleman has such a grip on the numbers of applications within his constituency, perhaps he could help us-perhaps the Minister will elaborate when he replies-by telling us how many applicants have not been able to have their applications submitted to enable them to continue trading. There are many in my constituency and I have been in extensive discussion with the Minister, in relation to much of which there has yet to be a response, to encourage applicants to submit their applications. They have been discouraged because the police were given no discretion within the 48-hour rule, whereby they had to receive copies of applications. Immense expense and trouble has been experienced by many existing licensees. If the Minister had given discretion to the police, the problem would not have arisen. For example, a publican who has been trading for 22 years has been treated like a new entrant.
Mr. Deputy Speaker: Order. The hon. Gentleman must keep his interventions short.
Stephen Hesford: I cannot help the hon. Gentleman. That problem has not revealed itself in my constituency.
