Examination of Witnesses (Questions 220
- 221)
TUESDAY 11 NOVEMBER 2008
MR ROB
HAYWARD, DR
MARTIN RAWLINGS,
MR JOHN
MCNAMARA
AND MR
NICK BISH
Q220 Adam Price: Are there any further
changes you would like to introduce to the process? You mentioned
something in your submission about the Interim Authority Notice.
Mr Rawlings: When the premises
licence holder dies the business is actually not able to operate
without that licence and so you need to change that over. The
Act only allows seven days and, to be fair, most people are hardly
buried within seven days. I have spoken long and hard with the
minister about whether this should be made 14 or 21 on compassionate
grounds, but the argument was that they had given enough away
already so we are staying with seven days. We have had cases of
real distress and they are small businesses, Welsh-based particularly,
where the licensee died and the business had to shut. The last
thing you need when you are burying your beloved is to have your
income taken away. It is a simple measure and it only takes the
stroke of a pen to change it. I would settle for 14 but 21 would
be nice and compassionate.
Q221 Adam Price: The Government is
bringing forward some Legislative Reform Orders to introduce some
minor changes in the process. Have you had sight of those?
Mr Rawlings: Yes, I have and it
is not there and I keep asking for it.
Chairman: We have no more questions.
May I thank you all very much.
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