Licensing Act 2003

I rise to support the amendment and oppose the motion. The somewhat apocalyptic opening speech by the right hon. Member for Maidenhead (Mrs. May) did not do justice to the real issues in this matter. In contrast, the hon. Member for Mole Valley (Sir Paul Beresford) gave a much clearer demonstration of the genuine difficulties and offered a much more constructive approach to dealing with them. The right hon. Member for Maidenhead presented an apocalyptic vision of what local communities would be like after 24 November, with thousands of desperate drinkers milling around the streets looking for a bar that was open and congratulating those publicans who had managed to surmount the bureaucratic obstacles placed in their way by the Government. Similarly, I could imagine the heroes of my local Wednesbury rugby club turning up for after-match celebrations based on sandwiches and diet Coke. Again, according to the hon. Lady, toddlers and mothers would be crying in the street because they could not hold sessions for young people in halls and clubs whose locked doors bore the notice, ““Closed Due to Government Bureaucracy””. I do not want to pour scorn on the genuine problems that people have raised, but overstating the case does the argument against the Act little good. I trawled through my memory for complaints that I had received about the legislation and recalled that, when the idea was first mooted 18 months ago, one sports club told me that it was worried that its bar might be priced out of activity. However, since the publication of the fees and the various regulations, I have received no correspondence whatever on the matter. I have received correspondence from any number of my electors about nuisance from pubs, about antisocial behaviour generated by binge drinking youths and about clubs and publicans who were not prepared to recognise the legitimate concern of their neighbours about noise nuisance. I do not want to stigmatise the whole profession, because some publicans are responsible and are concerned about their locality and operate in a way that is compatible with good relations; none the less, there is substantial concern about the antisocial behaviour that is often associated with drinking. The Act was passed in July 2003, so, by 24 November, people will have had two years and five months to apply for a licence and to get acquainted with the Act’s provisions. The Government have not been passive. The Under-Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, my hon. Friend the Member for Stalybridge and Hyde (James Purnell), who is not in the Chamber at present, listed the activities in which he has been involved to promote the legislation and the need to apply for a licence.