Licence application should be simplified, says review panel

The application process for the Licensing Act should be simplified, says the interim report by the government's independent review panel on licensing.

The panel, which has been set up to review the fees for the new regime, says it is too early to give a conclusion on the fee structure but it has made a range of initial recommendations to the government.

It calls on the licensing application process to be simplified in relation to advertising applications and the professionally drawn premises plans.

The report says there should be a central source of information on fees for licensees, which provides details on what licensing authority they should be registered with and a date should be set for payment of the annual fee.

Sir Les Elton, chairman of the panel, which includes representatives of local government, local communities and industry, said: "We have unanimously agreed four immediate recommendations and areas of other activity that we will consider further during the next stage of our work.

"We have also agreed that if we are in a position to make further recommendations in advance of our full report next autumn, then we will do so."

Licensing Minister James Purnell said: "Everyone involved in the new system can rest assured - if evidence proves that the current system needs fine-tuning, we are fully committed to doing just that.

"The panel are due to publish a final report on the fee levels in the autumn of 2006, and I am grateful for their offer that, where they are able to do so, they will make further recommendations in advance of their full report."