Licensing Act

Miss Begg, I have already apologised to you, the Minister and the excellent Chairman of the Select Committee because I am unable to stay for more than a couple more minutes. Since Lord Clement-Jones' Bill has been mentioned, and given the Minister's rather belated announcement that the Government will consult on the possibility of exempting venues of up to 100 from a requirement for a live music licence, will the hon. Gentleman acknowledge that the Select Committee believes that that figure should be up to 200, as mentioned in that Bill? The Minister will not mind my saying—I discussed this with him—that in an earlier conversation with him today when I said that 100 did not go far enough and asked what would happen if the consultation, which I agree is not needed, suggested that 200 was a better figure, I then asked what the would Government do. The Minister was gracious enough to say that in such circumstances they would seriously consider 200. That is good news, and we should welcome it.