Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Wyre)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 5 November 2025 to Question 85806, on what evidential basis his Department chose to issue a call for evidence rather than a consultation.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government invited views and evidence to inform the development of a modern, proportionate and enabling licensing system. A Call for Evidence ran for four weeks, primarily via an online survey, and this attracted a significant number of responses. Alongside discussions were held with key stakeholders to supplement the evidence we received. This process enabled us to elicit views and draw on evidence in relation to the key recommendations of the Licensing Taskforce.
Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Wyre)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 5 November 2025 to Question 85812, whether he plans to introduce his Department's proposed reforms to alcohol licensing through (a) legislative changes to the Licensing Act 2003 or (b) regulatory guidance.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government is undertaking activity to implement the initial announcements made by the Chancellor on 26 November. Those include a guidance document (the National Licensing Policy Framework) which is already available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-licensing-policy-framework-for-the-hospitality-and-leisure-sectors and taking forward legislation to reform the Temporary Event Notices available to on-trade licensed premises. In addition, plans are being developed to assess the remaining recommendations made by the Taskforce and in relation to these the need for further legislation and guidance will be considered in due course.
Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Wyre)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 5 November 2025 to Question 85808, if he will publish all responses received to the call for evidence on proposed licensing reforms.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
On 26 November an initial analysis of responses to a number of the Call for Evidence questions was published, available at https://www.gov.uk/government/calls-for-evidence/reforming-the-licensing-system. We will be publishing a summary of responses received to all of the call for evidence on proposed licensing reforms in the New Year.
Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Wyre)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 5 November 2025 to Questions 85811 and 85813, if he will publish all evidence received by the Licensing Taskforce (a) during meetings and (b) through written evidence or other stakeholder engagement.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government is undertaking activity to implement the initial announcements made by the Chancellor on 26 November. Those include a guidance document (the National Licensing Policy Framework) which is already available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-licensing-policy-framework-for-the-hospitality-and-leisure-sectors and taking forward legislation to reform the Temporary Event Notices available to on-trade licensed premises. In addition, plans are being developed to assess the remaining recommendations made by the Taskforce and in relation to these the need for further legislation and guidance will be considered in due course.
Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Wyre)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the licensing taskforce recommendations on progress towards meeting the targets of the Mission Boards for (a) safer streets, (b) tackling violence against women and girls and (c) reducing antisocial behaviour and building safer communities.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
No assessment has yet been made of the impact of any potential reforms on safer streets, tackling violence against women and girls, and reducing ASB and building safer communities. The Government is currently inviting views and evidence to inform the development of a modern, proportionate and enabling licensing system. As part of this we are reviewing a number of reform proposals recommended by the Licensing Taskforce in July. Any legislative changes subsequently taken forward will be subject to an impact assessment, consultation and parliamentary scrutiny.
A Call for Evidence is currently open until 6 November in order to gather views and evidence to inform proposals for reforms to licensing. This is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/calls-for-evidence/reforming-the-licensing-system.
Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Wyre)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether the Licensing Taskforce requested assessments of the potential impact of post-pandemic changes to drinking patterns on (a) crime, (b) violence and (c) anti-social behaviour; and whether those assessments were provided to the taskforce.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Licensing Taskforce did not request assessments of the potential impact of post-pandemic changes to drinking patterns on (a) crime, (b) violence and (c) anti-social behaviour; however its membership included the National Police Chiefs Council’s lead for Alcohol Harm. Since the Taskforce reported, a cross-government team has been established to review its findings and a Call for Evidence was launched. This is open until 6 November. We continue to seek a wide range of views and evidence to inform the development of a modern, proportionate and enabling licensing system. Any legislative reforms will be subject to impact assessment, consultation and parliamentary scrutiny.
The Call for Evidence is currently open until 6 November in order to gather views and evidence to inform proposals for reforms to licensing. This is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/calls-for-evidence/reforming-the-licensing-system.
Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Wyre)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to consider feedback provided during the public call for evidence on Reforming the licensing system, published on 7 October 2025; and what assessment he has made of the level of (a) opposition and (b) concern within responses that might prompt him to reconsider his proposals.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government is inviting views and evidence to inform the development of a modern, proportionate and enabling licensing system.
A Call for Evidence is currently open until 6 November in order to gather views and evidence to inform proposals for reforms to licensing. This is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/calls-for-evidence/reforming-the-licensing-system.
Representations including any opposition or concern will be reviewed fully as part of this process and will be helpful in shaping the development of proposals.
Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Wyre)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps did the Licensing Taskforce take to consult (a) local authorities, (b) police forces, (c) Police and Crime Commissioners, (d) directors of public health and (d) local licensing committees on proposed reforms to alcohol licensing.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government is inviting views and evidence to inform the development of a modern, proportionate and enabling licensing system.
A Call for Evidence is currently open until 6 November in order to gather views and evidence to inform proposals for reforms to licensing. This is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/calls-for-evidence/reforming-the-licensing-system.
In July this year, the Licensing Taskforce concluded a review of licensing and its report is available at:
The report lists the members of the Taskforce, including representatives from the Local Government Association, the Institute of Licensing and the National Police Chiefs’ Council, and gives an indication of how they went about their review. The Government responded to that report welcoming its recommendations and setting out next steps. As part of the current Call for Evidence and subsequent policy development, the Government is committed to engaging with local authorities, police forces, Police and Crime Commissioners, directors of public health, local licensing committees and members of the public among others.
Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Wyre)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what discussions he had with experts on (a) alcohol licensing and (b) the Licensing Act 2003 on the proposals set out in the call for evidence entitled Reforming the licensing system, published on 7 October 2025.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Earlier this year the Government established a Licensing Taskforce which was co-chaired by the then Minister for Services, Small Business and Exports, Gareth Thomas MP. The Taskforce held discussions with experts on the licensing regime in reaching its conclusions.
The Government welcomed the Taskforce report and is inviting further views and evidence to inform the development of a modern, proportionate and enabling licensing system.
A Call for Evidence is currently open until 6 November in order to gather views and evidence to inform proposals for reforms to licensing. This is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/calls-for-evidence/reforming-the-licensing-system.
Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Wyre)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment has been made of the potential impact of the licensing taskforce recommendations on the workstreams of each of the five Mission Boards.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government is inviting views and evidence to inform the development of a modern, proportionate and enabling licensing system.
A Call for Evidence is currently open until 6 November in order to gather views and evidence to inform proposals for reforms to licensing. This is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/calls-for-evidence/reforming-the-licensing-system.
While no assessment has yet been made of the impact of any reforms to be taken forward, that would form part of the further stages of this work.