asked the Minister of Food how many catering licences were issued during the last 18 months to persons in Scotland and, in particular, in Aberdeen; and how many of these were issued to persons recently naturalised and to ordinary British citizens of long standing, respectively.

Between 16th August, 1945, and 15th January, 1947, 2,648 catering licences were issued in Scotland. Fifty-one of these were issued in the city of Aberdeen. No information is readily available of the number of licences granted to people recently naturalised, but of the 51 licences issued in the city of Aberdeen, two were granted to aliens who had given up existing businesses during the war.

Can the Minister tell us on what principle these licences are granted?

If the hon. and learned Member is talking about aliens, these licences were granted to these two men because one was an ex-trader; he had been in this country since 1911, and neither the Home Office nor the Minister of Labour objected. The other case was a man who had been on war service.