§ 16. Mr. Spriggsasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will seek to legislate to allow licensed victuallers more flexible opening hours and to make more stringent the requirements which applicants must fulfil.
§ Mr. RaisonWe have no plans for legislation in this area.
§ Mr. SpriggsIs the Minister aware that at my parliamentary interview I met a group of licensed victuallers who are nearing bankruptcy as a result of the discrimination against people employed in the local pub? Will he consider their proposals for more flexible opening hours and at least give them the right to compete with other licensed premises by allowing greater prizes on the gaming machines?
§ Mr. RaisonWe are aware of the anxiety of the licensed victuallers. They have made representations to us. We have also followed what has happened in Scotland over licensing hours. We are not yet persuaded that we should legislate in the near future, but we shall doubtless keep the matter under review.
§ Mr. Robert AtkinsDoes my right hon. Friend recognise the ridiculous state of affairs surrounding licensing laws? When will he announce that he will put the recommendations of the Errol report into effect?
§ Mr. RaisonI recognise the anomalies, but we must also recognise the widespread worry about alcohol consumption and the fact that there is a lack of agreement about what action to take.
§ Mr. SnapeAre not the pub licensing laws a legacy of the First World War? Like other archaic practices, having been around for so long, should they not be swept away? Is it not time that the libertarians on the Conservative Benches joined those on the Opposition Benches to introduce flexible rosters for pub landlords?
§ Mr. RaisonIt is easy to say that the present laws should be swept away. The problem is to find sufficient agreement on what to replace them with.