MPs are to probe if the Licensing Act has helped reduce red tape and costs for licensees and whether it has fueled late-night disorder.
The Culture, Media & Sport Select Committee has announced a new inquiry on the Act, which will look at:
- Whether there has been any change in levels of public nuisance, numbers of night-time offences or perceptions of public safety since the Act came into force
- Whether the Act has led, or looks likely to lead, to a reduction in bureaucracy for those applying for licences under the new regime and for those administering it
- Whether the anticipated financial savings for relevant industries will be realised.
- The impact of the Act on the performance of live music
- The financial impact of the Act on sporting and social clubs
British Beer & Pub Association director of communications Mark Hastings said: "We've just had a full-scale review of the Licensing Act and a further process is again a distraction from getting on with the front-line business we need to get on with, which is helping the British pub through a difficult period at the moment."
He added: "We will use this opportunity to highlight further opportunities to ease the costs and regulations burdens on pubs."
The 11-person Committee is chaired by John Whittingdale, Conservative MP for Maldon and East Chelmsford.
All-Party Parliamentary Beer Group vice chairman Nigel Evans is on the Committee.
The deadline for written submissions is 30 September. They can be sent in a Word document to cmscom@parliament.uk.
A spokeswoman for the Committee said oral hearings will take place after 30 September. She expected the Committee's report to be release after Christmas.
Coincidently, the new Inquiry is set to be carried out at the same time as another Parliamentary Inquiry into pubcos, carried out by the Business & Enterprise Committee.