14/03 3 February 2003

Government announces licence exemption for entertainment in
churches

The Government today announced it will amend its Licensing Bill
so that places of public worship across the country will not need a
licence to put on entertainment performances of any kind.

The announcement follows concerns that the Government's
original proposal - to make performance of secular music in
places of public worship licensable throughout the country -
would threaten the future of church music.

Kim Howells said:

"The exemption I am announcing today will enable religious
institutions and music societies to flourish.

"It will bolster the measures already contained in the Bill that are
designed to foster live music, by opening up greater opportunities
for
musicians to perform.

"Concerns were raised about our original proposals for licensing
regulated entertainment in places of worship by a range of groups.
We have listened to their concerns and taken them on board. I
would like to thank them for their input which has helped make
this a better Bill."

Kim Howells also announced that the Government intends to
exempt village and community halls from fees associated with the
provision of entertainment or entertainment facilities under the
licensing regime.

He said: "I recognise that church and community halls are integral
to community life and provide a social hub in a great many rural
and urban areas. I am determined to enable them to continue to
play this essential role."

Notes to editors

1 Under current public entertainment licensing law, outside
London, music (only) in "a place of public religious worship or
performed as an incident of a religious meeting or service" is
exempt from needing a licence. "A place of public worship"
means only a place of public religious worship which belongs to
the Church of England or to the Church of Wales or which is for
the time being certified as required by law as a place of religious
worship. Inside Greater London, churches enjoy no exemption.

2 Under current public entertainment licensing law, any premises
in a London Borough or the City of London putting on public
dancing or music and any other public entertainment of the like
kind, needs a licence. There are no exemptions for community or
church halls. Outside London, community or church halls need a
licence, but are exempted from having to pay for it.

3 The exemptions were announced through Parliamentary
statement. The text is as follows: Licensing Bill: Exemption for
secular music in places of worship

Following further consideration and consultation with faith
groups, the Government has tabled an amendment to the
Licensing Bill that would exempt secular entertainment provided
in places of public religious worship and the provision of
entertainment facilities in such places from the need to obtain a
licence under the Bill when it is enacted. Music for the purposes
of or incidental to a religious service or meeting is already
exempt.

The exemption reflects the current position outside Greater
London. Within Greater London, the provision of secular
entertainment at places of public worship has for many years been
licensable. The amendment the Government has tabled will add
further to the deregulatory measures already contained in the Bill.

The Government also wishes to make plain its intention to exempt
church halls, chapel halls or other similar buildings occupied in
connection with a place of public religious worship, and village
halls, parish or community halls or other similar buildings from
the fees associated with the provision of entertainment or
entertainment facilities under the licensing regime.

Use of such premises to put on entertainment will still require a
licence as such provision can and does give rise to issues of
nuisance, public safety and crime and disorder. However, the Bill
provides for a streamlined and straightforward licensing scheme
with minimum bureaucracy.

In addition, the Guidance to be issued by my Right Honourable
Friend, the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, under
the Bill will make it clear that conditions attached to any licences
for such premises must be proportionate to the risks involved,
which are likely to be minimal in most cases.

Where a premises licence authorises the sale of alcohol in
premises of this nature, however, the normal licence fee will be
payable. This is entirely in line with existing arrangements.

In addition, those wishing to use village, church and parish halls,
and other community buildings will all be able to take advantage
of the simple and easy notification procedure that the Bill
provides for temporary events.

The precise details of the fee structure will be the subject of
consultation with interested parties.


The Government hopes that religious institutions, music societies
and other community groups will derive great benefit from the
exemptions and that the initiative will further strengthen our drive
to increase the diversity of cultural experience available to people
and communities throughout England and Wales.

Furthermore, the exemptions will bolster the measures already
contained in the Bill that are designed to foster live music by
opening up even further the opportunities for musicians to
perform.