Results 1-20 of 1,791 for speaker:John Whittingdale

Oral Answers to Questions — Culture, Media and Sport: Product Placement (9 Nov 2009) has video

John Whittingdale: I welcome the consultation paper, and all of this does, of course, represent a complete reversal of the position of the Secretary of State's predecessor. Does the Secretary of State accept, however, that product placement will do only a small amount to assist commercial broadcasters, who are facing huge economic difficulty, and that we will need to go further and look at other deregulatory...

Oral Answers to Questions — Home Department: Crime Reduction Grants (26 Oct 2009) has video

John Whittingdale: What plans he has to extend the availability of small business crime reduction grants; and if he will make a statement.

Oral Answers to Questions — Home Department: Crime Reduction Grants (26 Oct 2009) has video

John Whittingdale: Is the Minister aware of the Federation of Small Businesses survey that found that crime against businesses costs small firms about £13,500 each? Although I am sure that the businesses within the 50 priority areas have taken up the opportunity with enthusiasm, I think it curious that they bear a remarkable similarity to a list of Labour local authorities. Why do not businesses in areas...

[Miss Anne Begg in the Chair] — Licensing Act (22 Oct 2009)

John Whittingdale: I thank the Minister for that response. He has indicated that the Government are prepared to look at possible further changes in several areas. That is obviously welcome and, in terms of exemption for small venues, I very much hope that his view that changes can be brought in before an election is right. I cannot speak for my hon. Friend the Member for Wantage (Mr. Vaizey) but, judging from...

[Miss Anne Begg in the Chair] — Licensing Act (22 Oct 2009)

John Whittingdale: In London at the National.

[Miss Anne Begg in the Chair] — Licensing Act (22 Oct 2009)

John Whittingdale: I am grateful for the opportunity to debate the Culture, Media and Sport Committee's report on the Licensing Act 2003. The Committee held a wide-ranging inquiry into the Act. We had four public evidence sessions and received a wide range of submissions, and I would like to put on record my thanks, and those of Committee members, to our staff and to our legal adviser, Sara John. The principle...

[Miss Anne Begg in the Chair] — Licensing Act (22 Oct 2009)

John Whittingdale: There are concerns, which I shall move on to. I recognise my hon. Friend's position, as he represents an area that presents unique challenges for licensing authorities. I was shadow Secretary of State when the Bill was going through Parliament and recall going out with representatives of Westminster city council one night to visit what I believe are called vertical drinking establishments,...

[Miss Anne Begg in the Chair] — Licensing Act (22 Oct 2009)

John Whittingdale: Up to a point. The proposal is late and fairly small, and I will speak about it at greater length shortly, although any movement on the part of the Government is clearly welcome. As I said, I was acting in a different capacity when the Bill was going through Parliament, and it was notable that much of the debate then related to the implementation of what the media termed 24-hour drinking. As...

[Miss Anne Begg in the Chair] — Licensing Act (22 Oct 2009)

John Whittingdale: As I said, I have spoken in the past to the local residents my hon. Friend represents and I recognise that they have particular concerns, which I fully appreciate. It would be worrying if the legislation has made it more difficult for them to register those concerns.

[Miss Anne Begg in the Chair] — Licensing Act (22 Oct 2009)

John Whittingdale: It is probably fair to say that the problem will affect places that have a significant influx of people who do not live locally, which is the case with the west end of London and with seaside resorts, so I recognise the concern in those areas as well. There have been disturbing reports about the growth of alcohol-related violence. A report in the Evening Standard the night before last said:...

[Miss Anne Begg in the Chair] — Licensing Act (22 Oct 2009)

John Whittingdale: I agree that the majority of people are responsible and enjoy drinking in moderation, and that it would be completely wrong to punish them for the irresponsible behaviour of others. As a member of the Select Committee, my hon. Friend will recall the promotions that were of particular concern. Some of those connected with happy hours, and clubs giving free drinks, create an incentive to drink...

[Miss Anne Begg in the Chair] — Licensing Act (22 Oct 2009)

John Whittingdale: I absolutely agree with the hon. Gentleman. There is real evidence of that happening, not just in Montgomeryshire but right across the country. As he suggested, those are the places where many bands start. They do not suddenly find themselves playing Wembley stadium; they would normally start off elsewhere. I remember in my teens seeing a band I had never heard of in a pub, playing a song...

[Miss Anne Begg in the Chair] — Licensing Act (22 Oct 2009)

John Whittingdale: I got old. We have not just received evidence from pubs and clubs. I should like to draw attention to a submission I received just a few hours ago from the Independent Schools Association: "The administrative and financial burden on schools as a result of the...Licensing Act only serves to put so many off. Few have the capacity or resources to jump through all of the hoops that the Act...

[Miss Anne Begg in the Chair] — Licensing Act (22 Oct 2009)

John Whittingdale: The hon. Gentleman says that it was. I am glad that my hon. Friend brought that up, because it is an interesting point. It seems that it was licensed, unlike the performance by The Frontiers, a young band from Liverpool, who on Friday 17 July played an engagement in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport in Cockspur street, which I understand did not have a licence. As was pointed out,...

[Miss Anne Begg in the Chair] — Licensing Act (22 Oct 2009)

John Whittingdale: I accept that there is concern, although in my view a lot of the worries that local authorities rightly have can be addressed through environmental health legislation, for example. Actually, the practice of local authorities is also giving rise to concern, because even those venues that have taken advantage of the Act and applied for an entertainment licence are finding that the conditions...

[Miss Anne Begg in the Chair] — Licensing Act (22 Oct 2009)

John Whittingdale: If that is the case, I welcome it, and I hope that the Minister will confirm it in his response. The Select Committee recommended that the appropriate figure was 200, which is what the Musicians Union suggested. The Minister would win many friends if he announced this afternoon that, having listened to us, he will change the figure to 200. [Hon. Members: "Go on."] We will give him a while. I...

[Miss Anne Begg in the Chair] — Licensing Act (22 Oct 2009)

John Whittingdale: My hon. Friend is a great expert in contemporary music, and is as familiar with Tinchy Stryder as I am. Master Stepz was also involved. Those are major performers, but on that occasion the police expressed concern that the combination of those artists and the fact that the promoters were young contributed to the possibility of the event attracting public disorder, so it had to be cancelled....

English Libel Law (Parliamentary Proceedings) — [Mr. Roger Gale in the Chair] (21 Oct 2009)

John Whittingdale: Is it the Minister's view that the advice given by Carter-Ruck and by the in-house lawyer of The Guardian was incorrect?

English Libel Law (Parliamentary Proceedings) — [Mr. Roger Gale in the Chair] (21 Oct 2009)

John Whittingdale: As has already been said, the Select Committee on Culture, Media and Sport, which I have the privilege of chairing, has been conducting a lengthy inquiry into press standards, privacy and libel, and we hope to publish our conclusions shortly. During the course of that inquiry, we received evidence about the chilling effect on journalism of the use of conditional fee agreements and about the...