§ 7.41 p.m.
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Northern Ireland Office (Lord Skelmersdale) rose to move, That the draft order laid before the House on 18th January be approved.
§ The noble Lord said: My Lords, the order consolidates the Licensing Act (Northern Ireland) 1971 and subsequent amending enactments relating to liquor licensing in Northern Ireland. When it was referred to the Joint Committee on Consolidation Bills, the noble and learned Lord, Lord Lowry, described it as consolidation which is useful rather than exciting. It is, in a word, a piece of pure consolidation legislation and makes no change to the existing law. On that basis, I commend it to the House.
§ Moved, That the draft order laid before the House on 18th January be approved.—(Lord Skelmersdale.)
§ Lord Prys-DaviesMy Lords, the noble Lord, Lord Skelmersdale, has explained that the order is purely a consolidation measure. I assume from that that the licensing law in Northern Ireland works pretty well and that there is no mischief that needs to be addressed in legislation.
I shall detain the House for no more than a moment or two. I note from a cursory examination of its articles that it replaces the Licensing Act (Northern Ireland) 1971, the Licensing (Northern Ireland) Order 1978, the Licensing (International Airports) (Northern Ireland) Order 1983 and the Licensing (Northern Ireland) Order 1987 in their entirety. In addition, it repeals prohibitions to be found in 13 other pieces of legislation enacted since 1968.
Licensing law is a narrow, technical branch of the law, but, as we have seen, it has grown in bits and pieces almost year by year since 1968. In the result, consolidation was desirable. I am sure that the order will be welcomed by the courts, the legal profession and business. For all that, we must thank the draftsman and his team who have worked hard to produce the order.
§ On Question, Motion agreed to.