§ Mr. Laurence RobertsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans she has to require churches to be licensed in order to stage concerts; what fees they will have to pay in order to hold such concerts; and if she will make a statement. [90574]
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§ Dr. Howells[holding answer 14 January 2003]: In the Regulatory Impact Assessment, published with the Licensing Bill, it has been estimated that an initial application for a premises licence would cost between £100 and £500, and that there would be an annual charge of between £50 and £150.
However, as I stated in the House of Commons on 16 December 2002, official Report, column 517, the Government has made a commitment to reconsider its position on the licensing of public entertainments in churches and will announce its conclusions as soon as possible.