Licensing Act 2003 (UEFA Women’s European Football Championship Licensing Hours) Order 2025

Debate between Lord Hanson of Flint and Lord Hayward

Tuesday 1st July 2025 Grand Committee

[The Minister of State, Home Office (Lord Hanson of Flint) (Lab)]

My Lords, I move seamlessly from investigatory powers to the European football championships, as is the wont of the Home Office. This order was laid before Parliament on 15 May.

The summer brings with it the UEFA European Women’s Championship 2025, or the women’s Euros, as we like to call it. It will be held in Switzerland and, happily, both the women’s football team of England and of Wales have qualified and will be competing in this important tournament.

Accordingly, I bring before your Lordships a proposal to allow the extension of licensing hours in the event—as we very much hope—that one or both teams progress to the semi-finals, scheduled for 22 and 23 July, or the final, scheduled for 27 July. Do not ask me to choose between England, where I was born, or Wales, where I live and have represented in Parliament. Section 172 of the Licensing Act empowers the Secretary of State to make an order permitting the relaxation of licensing hours to mark occasions of exceptional international, national and local significance. I hope that, in the event of a semi-final place or a final place, or both, for the home nations in this major international competition, that would constitute such an occasion.

There will be interest in and excitement around the tournament, and fans will want to congregate to support and, I hope, give a cheer to—verbally and in a glass—the English and Welsh participation in the semi-finals and/or final. The decision to lay this draft order follows a public consultation that the Home Office undertook earlier this year. A majority of respondents—87%—supported the proposed extension of licensing hours for the semi-final, and 3% fewer, for reasons unbeknown to me, said that the final should also have that extension.

Respondents agreed with the proposed duration of the extension—until 1 am—and supported its application to both England and Wales. There was also consensus that the extension should apply only to the sale of alcohol for consumption on the premises. Therefore, establishments that serve on the premises will be permitted to remain open until 1 am on the evenings of the semi-finals, which are scheduled for 22 and 23 July, and on the evening of the final, on 27 July, without—this is the important thing—the need to submit a temporary event notice. This will reduce the administrative burden on both businesses and local councils, saving time and resources for all involved but reaching the same conclusion where extensions can be made.

It is important to note that this extension applies solely to the sale of alcohol for on-premises consumption after 11 pm. It does not extend to premises licensed only for off-sales, such as supermarkets and off-licences. Furthermore, establishments that provide late-night refreshment—this is defined as the supply of hot food or drink to the public between 11 pm and 5 am—but do not hold a licence to sell alcohol for on-site consumption will not be covered by this order. Such premises may continue to provide late-night refreshment until 1 am only if their existing licence already permits them to do so.

It is important that we recognise that police representatives are always concerned about the potential for increased crime and disorder. Operational decisions on deployment and resourcing are matters for individual forces. I am confident that the appropriate measures will be taken to mitigate any risks, as has been the case during previous tournaments. There have not been any significant incidents of large-scale disorder linked to licensing extensions, and this is testament to the licensees, the police service and the Great British public, who manage these things in a responsible way.

The noted changes in this order include a modest, time-limited extension of two hours, which is, I think, proportionate. Should neither of the England or Wales women’s teams reach the semi-finals—and therefore not reach the final either—the normal licensing hours will remain in effect on 27 July.

The forthcoming tournament will generate significant interest and excitement. I hope for success for England and Wales. It is for that reason that we have brought this order forward, to allow the Great British public to enjoy an extra glass, should they wish to do so, in a licensed premises. I wish both teams the best of luck and commend the order to the Committee.

[Lord Hayward (Con)]

My Lords, I welcome this order, but I should go over the background from which I speak.

I was the chief executive of the British Beer and Pub Association at the time of the then Licensing Bill. I spent many happy hours debating the Bill with the then Minister, Kim Howells, and with somebody called Vernon Coaker, who was at the time the Home Office Minister responsible for law and order in relation to licensing. I have therefore been through this whole process. I was party to the original legal application before the High Court to change the law in relation to licensing hours and the whole question of TENs as it related to the men’s World Cup in Japan and South Korea. At that point, the then Lord Chief Justice, the noble and learned Lord, Lord Woolf, changed the law and made it possible for licensed premises to change their hours with a degree of flexibility.

However, the issue has always remained a problem because the police and the licensing authorities were given powers—one might almost describe them as delayed powers—so that they could object to certain licensed premises if they were concerned about some form of order being maintained at that particular premise. Of course, given the development of major sporting events concurrently with the development of modern technology, what was relatively new for the men’s football World Cup in Japan and South Korea some 20-plus years ago is now absolutely part of our lives. People respond quickly to major sporting events; this order is specifically intended to address that issue.

It is probably appropriate that it should apply to just the semi-finals and the final, but I have my doubts, as I say, because of the rise in interest in international sporting events, particularly women’s sporting events. Interest in and attendance levels at women’s football matches are rising at an incredible speed, so I have some doubts as to whether it should be for just the semi-finals and the final, but we will have to wait and see.

There is another major sporting event this summer, of which the noble Lord, Lord Addington, and I will be deeply conscious. An indication of the growth of interest in women’s sport is that I am sure he and I will be tomorrow at the launch of the Women’s Rugby World Cup with the Speaker of the House of Commons. The Women’s Rugby World Cup is taking place from 22 August through to its conclusion on 27 September. We wish all the relevant teams the best success in that.

The RFU has the objective of filling Twickenham on 27 September for the largest attendance ever at a female rugby match. Given that that event takes place partly during our recess and that the police and licensing authorities will need to be responsive, have the Government and the department given serious consideration to what action needs to be taken with an order should similar circumstances arise only a few days or weeks after the Summer Recess? As the Minister indicated, part of the problem that arose last time was that some licensing authorities were not as speedy in responding to the requests of the public. Ministers had to make appeals asking them to please be helpful; some were and some were not, but we do not want to go through that process again.

It is specifically for that reason that we have this order today. That makes sense, but I am concerned that, only a few weeks after this event, we will have another major sporting event and, in this case, it will take place all over this country—unlike the football tournament that we are discussing, which is taking place in another part of Europe. Could the Minister please clarify, either today or imminently, that there will not be a need for a similar order in similar circumstances only a few weeks away? If there is, we should bring that forward before the Summer Recess.

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[Lord Hayward (Con)]

I appreciate the clarification that the Minister is giving. I referred to previous events where requests were made of licensing authorities to extend hours on the grounds of good reason rather than waiting for the law—namely, waiting for the police authorities and the licensing authorities to respond. Under those circumstances, that request came from the Minister without any consultation. So, although I understand that best practice would require consultation, conscious of the timing that we are up against, I do not want that to be imposed as a barrier where, if you do not have consultation, you cannot produce an order.

[Lord Hanson of Flint (Lab)]

I appreciate that, but I hope that both noble Lords will recognise that that was not an item that I expected to debate today. It seems eminently sensible to examine that, but I cannot give the noble Lord final chapter and verse on that proposal based on the helpful discussion that we have had. The case has been made very ably and strongly for the encouragement and recognition of that World Cup being held in the United Kingdom, for the reasons that both noble Lords have mentioned. So, if they will let me, I will take away that proposal.

Section 172 of the Licensing Act 2003—which the noble Lord remembers vividly, even 22 years on, and the discussions that he had—empowers the Secretary of State to make an order. The criteria mentioned by the noble Lord, Lord Addington, are the relaxation of licensing hours to mark occasions of

“exceptional international, national, or local significance”.

A Women’s World Cup held in the United Kingdom potentially has the merit of being included under those criteria, but this is not an issue on which I can give the noble Lord a definitive answer today. I will reflect on that outside the Committee and hopefully be able to write to him and the noble Lord, Lord Hayward, in due course.