§ Mr. Simon ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of the cost associated with her proposal to transfer licensing responsibilities from magistrates to local authorities. [77397]
§ Dr. HowellsThe transfer of licensing responsibilities from magistrates to local authorities would be cost neutral. The licensing justices currently recover the costs of licensing by means of fees. Following transfer, licensing fees would be set centrally at a level that fully recovers the costs to local authorities of administering and enforcing the new licensing system.