Clause 146 - Delegation to licensing committee
Gambling Bill
Public Bill Committees, 2 December 2004, 3:15 pm
Mr Richard Caborn (Minister of State (Sport and Tourism), Department for Culture, Media & Sport; Sheffield Central, Labour)
I accept that, which is why there have been ongoing discussions about the implementation of the 2003 Act and the Bill. Concern has been expressed about the limit on the number of licensing committee members under section 6 of the 2003 Act and the reproduction of that limit in the Bill.
In some areas licensing committees will have a large volume of cases to hear during the transitional period of the 2003 Act. However, hon. Members should remember that authorities will receive far fewer applications for gambling premises licenses and those will not be received until after that busy transitional period. The appointed day has already been named. The limit on the number of committee members in the Bill will not assist authorities dealing with the volume of licence applications during that transitional period. There is management under both the 2003 Act and the Bill.