HC Deb 19 December 2002 vol 396 cc967-8W
Mr. Burstow

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of the number of public house licence holders that will be required to undergo a Criminal Records Bureau check by regulations made under the Licensing Bill. [88239]

Dr. Howells

Schedule 8 to the Licensing Bill provides that under the transitional arrangements, holders of justices' licences authorising the sale of alcohol by retail under the current licensing regime will be able to apply for personal licences under the new regime, without undergoing a Criminal Record Bureau check. If such a licence holder has been convicted of any relevant offence or equivalent foreign offence under the Bill, they would, however, be required to submit a statement giving details of that offence with their application for a personal licence. Failure to provide such a statement would be an offence under the Bill.