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.

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.