asked Her Majesty's Government:

What progress has been made on the public consultation concerning possible new exemptions to the Licensing Act 2003 for low-risk music events. [HL3291]

The Government are currently drawing up options for exempting from the Act certain low-impact licensable activities, including low-impact live music events, and aim to carry out a public consultation by the summer.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they have considered using the power under paragraph 4 of Schedule 1 to the Licensing Act 2003 to amend the Act's descriptions of entertainment to make clear that low-risk performances are exempt. [HL3292]

Yes. This is one of several options that the Government are considering.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What meetings the Department for Culture, Media and Sport has held, or has scheduled, this year with representatives of musicians' organisations; and whether the department's agenda for those meetings included or will include discussion of new exemptions from the Licensing Act 2003 for low-risk performances. [HL3293]

Representatives of the Musicians' Union (MU) had an introductory meeting with new senior officials in the creative industries team at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) on 28 January 2008. There was no formal agenda for this meeting.

The MU is a member of the DCMS's Advisory Group on Alcohol and Entertainment Licensing and its sub-group on minor variations. Both groups met on 13 March 2008. The question of new exemptions from the Licensing Act 2003 for low-impact activities (including low-impact musical performances) was discussed at both meetings.

The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport will meet the MU on 3 June 2008 to discuss music-industry issues. The agenda for this meeting has not yet been agreed.