§ Mr. Robert McCartneyTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the numbers of drinks licences in Northern Ireland presently in existence, by type, and specify the annual income received from issue of these licences and the costs of their administration in the last year for which figures are available. [14841]
§ Sir John WheelerFor the period ended 31 December 1995, the last complete year for which figures are available, the number of drink licences in force in Northern Ireland, by type, was as follows:
Category of licence Number of licences Public houses 1,642 Off licences 322 Hotels 150 Restaurants 294 Place of public entertainment 10 Refreshment room in public transport premises 13 Seamen's canteen 3 Non-seagoing vessel 1 Figures supplied by the Northern Ireland Court Service indicate that a total of £742,559 in fees income was derived from the issue of licences and their associated applications during the financial year April 1995 to March 1996. This total is made up as follows:
Magistrates court: £692,109County court: £50,450.I am advised that the cost of administering the grant and renewal of liquor licences is part of the overall cost of civil business in the county and magistrates courts. Costs as between the different types of civil business are not maintained.