Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has considered the potential merits of relaxing pub licensing hours in English pubs to also accommodate the World Cup football matches involving Scotland.

The Government recently announced plans to extend licensing hours on a national basis for the round of 32 and round of 16, quarter finals, semi-finals, bronze medal match and final of the FIFA World Cup 2026 for matches that involve any of the home nations, including Scotland, and kick off between 8pm and 10pm UK time. This will apply in both England and Wales.