The following from Hamish Birchall

Malcolm Moss, Conservative MP for North East Cambridgeshire, yesterday tabled some questions for written answer concerning the DCMS delay in publishing the latest MORI live music research. See copies below.

Government departments should respond within 20 working days, but sometimes take longer. Mr Moss led on licensing for the Conservatives in the Commons when the Licensing Act was a Bill, 2002-3, and spoke strongly against the government's none-in-a-bar proposals. He remains a shadow minister on licensing, tourism and gambling.

Mr Moss's questions were prompted in part by a recent DCMS announcement that, along with certain DCMS staff, two members of the Live Music Forum (LMF), Feargal Sharkey and Musicians' Union General Secretary John Smith, will have privileged early sight of the draft DCMS/MORI research report before its likely publication in December.

Apparently, in the case of Sharkey and Smith, this is for the purpose of 'quality assuring... the supporting context and interpretation... and for identifying further analysis which draft report may raise.' See DCMS statement:
http://www.culture.gov.uk/Reference_library/Research/research_by_dcms/live_music_exec_summary.htm

It is unclear why the rest of the LMF should be excluded from this process, or in what way Feargal Sharkey and John Smith are qualified to 'quality assure' the 'supporting context and interpretation' of the research data.

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Commons - Questions for Written Answer Tuesday 31 October 2006:
37. Mr Malcolm Moss (North East Cambridgeshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when the MORI research into live music commissioned by her Department will be published; and why the MORI presentation to the Live Music Forum on its research was cancelled. (98718)

See http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200506/cmordbk1/61031w01.htm

Commons - Questions for Written Answer Wednesday 01 November 2006:
97. Mr Malcolm Moss (North East Cambridgeshire) To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when her Department will be making Ipsos-MORI's research on the impact of the new licensing legislation on live music available to the (a) Live Music Forum, (b) Musicians Union and (c) general public. (98941)

98. Mr Malcolm Moss (North East Cambridgeshire): To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, for what reason certain members of the Live Music Forum previewed the Ipsos-MORI research recently commissioned by her Department; and what criteria were used in inviting such participation. (98942)

See: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200506/cmordbk2/61101o01.htm and scroll down.