Clause 8 - Exercise and delegation of functions
Licensing Bill [Lords]
4:00 pm
Mr Malcolm Moss (North East Cambridgeshire, Conservative)
The amendment has generated a fair amount of debate. I thought at one stage that the Minister agreed with the first part of the amendment. However, he rescued himself by saying that the words ''or the authority'', by allowing local councillors to represent the views of their electorate in the ward or the electoral sub-division that they represent, not the views of the authority, would compromise its main thrust. I accept the hon. Gentleman's argument that the words ''the authority'' might enable a councillor to speak on behalf of his authority, without the representation and support from local residents to challenge various licence applications.
If the Minister were content with most of the amendment, why has he thrown it out on the basis of a couple of words? I am surprised that he did not draft a Government amendment to say that such a proposal was fine, apart from the words ''or the authority'' that we have unfortunately left in the amendment. We shall be returning to clause 14(4)(e), which gives local authorities, as responsible authorities, the power in some respects to challenge certain decisions and become the arbiters of their own judgments.
I take on board the hon. Gentleman's argument about ''the authority''. On the basis of his ministerial response, unfortunately I shall have to retire, licking my wounds. I beg to ask leave to withdraw the amendment.
Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.
Clause 8 ordered to stand part of the Bill.