Appendix 8
Letter from the Clerk of the Deregulation and
Regulatory Reform Committee to the Police Federation of England
and Wales and the Association of Chief Police Officers (Liquor
Licensing Sub Committee) (dated 19 July 2001)
Proposal for the Regulatory Reform (Special Occasions
Licencing) Order 2001
I understand that you have previously responded to
the Government's
consultation on the above Regulatory Reform proposal, which is
intended to relax licencing hours on New Years'
Eve this year.
The proposal was laid before Parliament on 28 June.
It now falls to the relevant Parliamentary committees to examine
it. The House of Commons Deregulation and Regulatory Reform Committee
considered the proposal for the first time at its meeting last
Tuesday.
One of the matters which the Committee is required
to examine is whether the proposal continues any necessary protection.
The explanatory statement which the Government Department concerned
(now the Department for Culture, Media and Sport) is required
to lay alongside the proposal cites section 17 of the Criminal
Justice and Police Act 2001, which will come into force in October
2001, as one of the ways in which necessary protection can be
maintained. This section will provide the police with new powers
to instantly close down disorderly or excessively noisy licensed
premises where that is necessary in the interests of public safety
or to prevent further disturbance to the public.
However, the Committee is sceptical about the practicability
of closing down rowdy premises on New Year's
Eve. It would be very helpful if you were able to respond to this
concern with your opinion of the value of this new provision in
maintaining necessary protection for local residents against disturbance
caused by licensed premises on New Year's
Eve.
| 
