Licensing Bill (Hansard, 11 December 2002)

§ Mr. Key
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to her answer of 4 December, ref.84617, what criteria were used to decide on which organisations to consult on the White Paper, Time for Reform; and for what reason Salisbury District Council was not included. [86680]

§ Dr. Howells
The publication of the White Paper, Time for Reform, in April 2000, was followed by a well-publicised, open public consultation announced in both Houses of Parliament and which resulted in 1,215 responses being received. Copies of the White Paper were specifically sent to those organisations, including a number of district councils, which had written to us with their views during the review that took place prior to publication and which raised issues relating to licensing generally. Salisbury District Council did not fall into these categories. The Local Government Association, with whom we had established a good working 349W relationship, was also sent a copy of the White Paper with the expectation that they would consult their members, including all local authorities.

§ Mr. Whittingdale
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will publish the guidance to be issued to local authorities under the Licensing Bill [Lords]. [84959]

§ Dr. Howells
The Government intend to publish draft guidance in Spring 2003. We are currently working with an advisory group of key stakeholders to assist us in meeting this timetable. Detailed framework guidance was published on the Bill's First Reading on November 14.

§ Mr. Whittingdale
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate she has made of the financial impact on the hospitality industry of the measures included in the Licensing Bill [Lords]. [84960]

§ Dr. Howells
Appendix 4 of the White Paper "Time for Reform: Proposals for the Modernisation of our Licensing Laws" published in April 2000 estimated, using figures supplied by industry, that the hospitality and leisure industry would benefit from savings of 1.9 billion over the first 10 years of the licensing regime proposed in the Licensing Bill. The calculations used were subsequently refined and the Regulatory Impact Assessment published alongside the Bill and placed in the Libraries of both Houses estimates total savings of £1.97 billion over the first 10 years.