"Politicians will never release a licensing system for public entertainment, so you will need to be very clear what you try to lobby for."

Well, I agree with that last bit about needing to be very clear what you are asking for, because you just might get it - but the law at present specifically makes a blanket exception for licensed premises, for certain types of "entertainment".

And the government is apparently committed to changing the existing law - so essentially what would be likely to suit us would be that the new law makes a similar blanket exemption, but not on the basis of numbers but rather on that of non-amplification. And maybe only applying where no admission charge is involved.

And I don't think there's any need to assume that something on those lines that would necessarily be looked on unfavourably, if presented in the right way. I think it seems fairly common-sensical.

Ideally, as I've indicated, I'd like that examption to be extended to other places, like coffee bars and barber shops and anywhere where people might like to get together. But licensed premises would be a start - and they have the advantage, from a government point of view, that there is in place a procedure that is supposed to ensure that they are safe and well-conducted.

If we can't get the relevant text of the legislation off the Internet, I suppose trying to trace it down in hard cover will be the necessary course of action. However the most relevant text is not the existing law, but the proposed replacement - and that should be on the net somewhere.