Deregulation Bill - update

The Government’s Deregulation Bill was introduced and published last Thursday and Friday respectively and its alcohol and entertainment measures include:

• Temporary Event Notices (TENs) - increasing permitted number of TENs from 12 to 15 per calendar year (to have effect for effect for the year 2016 and subsequent years);

• Personal Licences - abolishing the need to renew personal licences;

• Liqueur Confectionary - repealing the offence of selling liqueur confectionary to under 16s;

• Late Night Refreshment - enabling Licensing Authorities to make certain exemptions for Late Night Refreshment including exemptions for part of their areas or for certain types of premises or during a designated period between the hours of 23.00 and 05.00;

• Reporting loss or theft of licence - Removal of requirement to report loss or theft of premises licence, TEN or personal licence to Police before a duplicate can be issued; and

• Exhibition of films - Deregulating film exhibitions at community premises subject to certain conditions including that films must be provided between 08.00 and 23.00 and for an audience of no more than 500 persons.

The second reading of the Bill is scheduled for 3 February 2014 and we will keep you apprised of developments.