An early day motion about live music and licensing exceptions for small venues has been submitted by Culture Select Committee chairman John Whittingdale.
The Conservative MP has already attracted eight signatures in support of his EDM, which noted "that it is now more than 12 months since the Department for Culture, Media and Sport launched a consultation to exempt small live music events from the bureaucracy of the Licensing Act 2007."
Whittingdale also suggested that an exemption for small venues has not yet been granted despite a commitment from the Coalition to cut red tape to encourage the performance of more live music. He called on the Government to introduce an exemption "without delay
John King comments: John Whittingdale's EDM says EXEMPT small scale live music from red-tape. REDUCING the amount of red-tape simply won't work...
A good example of why this approach will not work is S177 of the Act and the 'minor variations' measure which was introduced by the last Govt. Neither of these has or could have any effect because this method is beloved of those whose whole being is red tape and who care little about anything else.