The term PEL refers to a licence under the present law. My understanding is that under the new law there won't be a PEL as such, so I think if that is true we ought to avoid using the term in relation to what is going to happen when the law comes into force, because it just confuses things.

Does anyone know if the other aspects of the act, such as extended opening hours, are on hold until the middle of 2005? Or is it just the music stuff?

I have a suspicion that some local authorities are going to move ahead in practice and start operating under their interpretation of the new law, in advance of it actually coming legally into force. Things could get very confusing.