Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the recommendations in his Department's policy paper entitled Licensing policy sprint: joint industry and HM government taskforce report, published on 31 July 2025, on the (a) ill health to prevention workstream of the Health Mission Board and (b) specific priority of tackling alcohol harm within the Health Mission Board.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Following the Licensing Taskforce, which was jointly let by the Department for Business and Trade and industry, the Government is considering which recommendations to take forward. As part of this, the Government is inviting views and evidence to inform the development of a modern, proportionate, and enabling licensing system, including public health considerations. This work is being led by the Department for Business and Trade and the Home Office with support from other departments, including the Department of Health and Social Care.

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 the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/calls-for-evidence/reforming-the-licensing-system

Public health considerations will be kept under review. Any legislative changes will be subject to an impact assessment, consultation, and parliamentary scrutiny.

We will continue to work across Government to consider what other measures might be needed to reduce the negative impact that excessive alcohol consumption is having on health, crime, and the economy.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment of trends in the level of post-pandemic changes to (a) drinking patterns and (b) resulting health harms were (i) requested by and (ii) provided to the Licensing Taskforce by his Department to inform their proposed licensing reforms.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Following the Licensing Taskforce, which was jointly let by the Department for Business and Trade and industry, the Government is considering which recommendations to take forward. As part of this, the Government is inviting views and evidence to inform the development of a modern, proportionate, and enabling licensing system, including public health considerations. This work is being led by the Department for Business and Trade and the Home Office with support from other departments, including the Department of Health and Social Care.

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 the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/calls-for-evidence/reforming-the-licensing-system

Public health considerations will be kept under review. Any legislative changes will be subject to an impact assessment, consultation, and parliamentary scrutiny.

We will continue to work across Government to consider what other measures might be needed to reduce the negative impact that excessive alcohol consumption is having on health, crime, and the economy.

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.

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.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent progress his Department has made on introducing mandatory health information on alcohol labels; and when he plans to publish a consultation on this matter.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

In Fit for the Future: 10-Year Health Plan for England, the Government committed to strengthen and expand on existing voluntary guidelines for alcohol labelling by introducing a mandatory requirement for alcoholic drinks to display consistent nutritional information and health warning messages. The plan can be accessed online at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/10-year-health-plan-for-england-fit-for-the-future

Department officials are working at pace to review all available evidence and to develop policy options that will be used in a formal consultation in due course. We have met a range of stakeholders, and we are making plans for further stakeholder engagement to take place shortly. Stakeholder insights will help shape the policy, to ensure that labelling requirements are more effective.

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.

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:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/licensing-taskforce-report-and-government-response/licensing-policy-sprint-joint-industry-and-hm-government-taskforce-report

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.

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.

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.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether each Mission Board was (a) represented, (b) involved in and (c) consulted as part of the Licensing Taskforce workstream; and what their level of involvement was.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Licensing Taskforce reported its findings in July and relevant Government departments were involved in determining the response to that report. That included the Department for Business and Trade, the Home Office, HM Treasury, the Department for Health and Social Care, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. A cross-government team has been established with the involvement of those departments to take forward a review of the proposals and subsequent implementation where appropriate. That further stage of activity has led to the Call for Evidence which will inform next steps.

The Call for Evidence is 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.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether members of the Licensing Taskforce were given (a) advanced sight of and (b) input into the wording of the licensing call for evidence questions.

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 the course of developing the Call for Evidence questions a number of stakeholders were consulted and saw drafts of the call for evidence before this was finalised. This included some members of the Licensing Taskforce.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment she has made of the potential challenges of launching the current licensing call for evidence with a rapid 4-week window for responses.

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 four week 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.

A rapid evidence gathering exercise is appropriate at this stage in the development of policy relating to licensing reforms. Further consultation and engagement with stakeholders is anticipated at later stages of policy development and implementation, dependent on the specific proposals that are being taken forward. Any legislative changes will be subject to an impact assessment, consultation and parliamentary scrutiny.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he received representations on his proposed changes to the Licensing Act 2003.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Changes to the Licensing Act 2003 were proposed as part of a Licensing Taskforce which concluded its work in the Summer. Consideration of those proposals and options for implementation, where appropriate, is currently underway. To inform that work, 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 are being received through the consultation and these will be reviewed fully.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent progress she has made on taking steps to reduce the drink drive limit; and when she plans to publish (a) a draft of and (b) a consultation on the road safety strategy.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

This Government takes road safety seriously. We are committed to reducing the numbers of those killed and injured on our roads.

We are considering a range of policies under the new Road Safety Strategy; the first for ten years. This includes the case for changing the motoring offences, such as drink driving.

We are considering concerns raised by campaigners and bereaved families.

We will set out more details in due course.

Sodium valproate and surgical mesh redress

Dying in Poverty 2025

Water monitoring at Windermere

Proposal for a wealth tax

Digital-only immigration status

Immigration application fees for young adults and children

Cumulative disruption proposals and the right to protest

68 Is Too Late report by the Prison Officers' Association

Blackpool Heritage Trams

90th anniversary of the Marine Hall, Fleetwood

Rural market towns

Caton Methodist Church

Forty Winks 4 Furness fundraiser

Value of rural post offices

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Cat Smith (Chair); James Asser; Bambos Charalambous; Sir Christopher

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Cat Smith (Chair); James Asser; Bambos Charalambous; Sir Christopher

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Cat Smith (Chair); James Asser; Bambos Charalambous; Sir Christopher