The Home Office have opened consultation on government plans to overhaul the current licensing regime, following the Home Secretary's announcement earlier this week:
The consultation page highlights the main commitments identified in reforming the Licensing Act, but stresses '... we're interested in what you think the implications of implementing the proposals will be, rather than your views on the commitments themselves:
- overhauling the Licensing Act to give local authorities and the police much stronger powers to remove licences from, or refuse to grant licences to premises that are causing problems
- allowing councils and the police to permanently shut down any shop or bar that is repeatedly selling alcohol to children
- doubling the maximum fine for those caught selling alcohol to minors to £20,000
- allowing local councils to charge more for late-night licences, which will help pay for additional policing
- banning the sale of alcohol below cost price
The consultation document also raises the possibility of responsibilities to protecting public health as is required in Scotland (Act here). It proposes to 'Enable more involvement of local health bodies in licensing decisions by designating health bodies as a responsible authority and seeking views on making health a licensing objective.'
Consultation information- Closing date: 08 Sep 2010
Respond here by filling in the online consultation form
Alternatively email [email protected] or see the consultation page for more options.
Statements and news in response
The website www.fullfact.org claims the Home Office has since retracted its claim that alcohol-related crime has been rising, stated when announcing the consultation. A Licensing act crime and disorder evaluation [pdf] was produced in 2008 assessing the crime and disorder impact of the 2003 Licensing Act.
The British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) has challenged the notion of 24 hour drinking as 'a bit like tilting at windmills. 24 hour drinking is and always has been an enormous urban myth – great for headline writers, but far from reality.'
The treatment agency Addaction has responded to news by saying that that 'changing the licensing laws is only going some way in addressing Britain’s binge drinking culture'. It continues 'there are two key underlying issues to the country’s drink problems that need addressing: a lack of funding for treatment and the sale of heavily discounted alcohol.'
The Morning Advertiser reported hostility from the trade but support from the police group ACPO. The Publican also highlighted trade concerns. The comment blog The Politics of Drinking criticises the proposed changes.
See here for other recent news and developments on the licensing and alcohol policy plans.
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