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Licensing Laws

Volume 471: debated on Monday 28 January 2008

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) what assessment his Department has made of the use of temporary event notices by licensed premises; and if he will make a statement; (182131)

(2) if he will make it his policy to bring forward amendments to the Licensing Act 2003 so that licensed premises may not operate outside their licence when operating under a temporary events notice; and if he will make a statement.

In 2005 DCMS formally consulted on Permitted Temporary Activities and the temporary event notices (TENs) regulations. Ministers considered views from all respondents and decided not to further restrict the limits on TENs.

While there had been some representations about licensed premises using TENs to operate additional hours or activities which have not been included on the full licence, the Government believed that the existing limit was sufficient. Licensed premises were able to hold events outside their set hours under the old licensing regime by the use of special orders of exemption.

However, we will continue to monitor the position with stakeholders and if there is compelling evidence to suggest that the TENs regulations are not covering problems which cannot be dealt with by using the other powers available to the police for handling disorder or noise nuisance, including the closure of premises in certain cases where a TEN has effect. The premises holding the TEN may also have their licence reviewed if they are found to be failing to promote the four licensing objectives.