§ Mr. MossTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture. Media and Sport how many licences will be considered by Brewster Sessions in 2004, broken down by percentage represented by(a) hotels, (b) restaurants, (c) pubs and (d) others; what proportion of applications were refused by the Brewster Sessions in each of the last five years; and what the cost to industry of applications to the Brewster Sessions was in the last year for which figures are available. [133149]
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§ Mr. CabornWe estimate that the costs to applicants for renewal of their licences at the last triennial Brewster Sessions was about £11 million, including fees and legal support costs, of which £4.65 million was paid in fees.
The Brewster Sessions at which justices' licences are renewed is a triennial event which last took place in 2001. There have therefore been only two such sessions in the last five years. At these sessions, licensing committees consider objections made by the police, local authorities and local residents to the continuation of licences for a further three years.
The percentage of on-licensed premises which are residential or residential/restaurant licences (hotels) is 7.5 per cent. of restaurants, 18 5 per cent. of public houses, 71 per cent. and of other licences, 3.5 per cent. The total number of on-licensed premises was 110,000 at the end of June 2001, these being the last available figures. In addition, there are some 45,000 off licensed premises.
There are no figures collected centrally of the proportion of applications for renewal refused by the licensing justices sitting at the Brewster Sessions.