HC Deb 11 February 2004 vol 417 c1463W
Mr. Don Foster

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate she has made of the administrative costs to(a) local authorities, (b) individual licensees and (c) central government of the changes to the licensing regime resulting from the Licensing Act 2002; and if she will make a statement. [154061]

Mr. Caborn

Proposed fee levels and the expected costs of compliance with the 2003 Act were set out in the Regulatory Impact Assessment which accompanied the Licensing Bill and is available from the House Library. Regulations setting out the fees to accompany applications for licences, club premises certificates and other applications will be laid before Parliament shortly, showing the cost to individual licensees and applicants.

The Department is working closely with the Local Government Association to produce licensing fees which are set at a level to provide for full cost recovery in respect of administration, inspection and enforcement. In those cases where the Department has announced that there will be an exemption from the payment of fees in certain circumstances the costs will be met by central government.