Licensing - Live Music Bill returns
Roger Gall
On 19th November Tim Clement-Jones' live music bill returned to the
Parliamentary agenda:
http://services.parliament.uk/bills/2009-10/livemusic.html
If enacted, it would go a long way to meeting the recommendations of the
all-party Culture, Media and Sport Committee. The bill proposes to exempt
live music from entertainment licensing in bars and other premises up to
200-capacity, provided they are already licensed for the sale of alcohol,
and similarly exempt schools and hospitals for audiences up to 200:
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld200809/ldbills/066/2009066.pdf
Originally published in July, it lapsed at the end of the Parliamentary year
(like all private members bills awaiting 2nd or 3rd readings). But due to
the determination of Lord Clement-Jones and Baroness Bonham-Carter (his
proxy for the 1st reading of 19th November), the bill now stands a good
chance of a full debate in the Lords early next year.
This will dismay government spin doctors. They thought they had pulled a
smart trick on 21st October by leaking the government's apparent u-turn on
an exemption for small gigs to the Guardian:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2009/oct/21/police-law
Wider media coverage was suppressed. And, by creating the misleading
impression that the long-running licensing controversy would probably be
resolved before the general election, they hoped to secure a smooth ride for
the government on this issue in the run-up to the general election.
But the return of Lord Clement-Jones' bill ensures that the controversy, and
the government's empty promises, will be exposed again in Parliament and in
the press.
Meanwhile the Chief Executive of UK Music, Feargal Sharkey, has again
fiercely criticised the government's misrepresentation of the latest
licensing statistics. Writing for the Conservative blog 'CulturePolitick'
he described as 'ridiculous' the DCMS claim that there has been an 11% rise
in venues between 2007 and 2009:
'DCMS... claim that the Licensing Act has actually delivered an 11% increase
in live music from 2007-2009! I'll try and put this rather kindly, it is
shall I suggest, somewhat misleading if not bordering on the ridiculous.
This estimate includes whole new ranges of venues like schools and
hospitals, plus others not even licensed for live music so quite frankly
shouldn't count.'
http://www.culturepolitick.com/cms/2009/11/20/the-licensing-act-statistics-and-music/
ENDS