Howells: fighting against move to local authority licensing control is futile

Licensing minister Dr Kim Howells has warned trade campaigners they are fighting a losing battle against plans to move licensing control to local authorities.

Dr Howells told the 350-strong audience at this year's Publican Conference that the proposed package of licensing reforms was "not on offer without local authority control".

"We all know bad stories about local authority control," he said. "It serves no purpose to recount them - the issue is to find ways of ensuring best practice whoever takes control.

"If the industry gets stuck on the framework issues like local authority control it is going to get left behind."He added that the trade would be able to have its say on the detail of the reform package.

But the minister said he was still unable to give any firm timetable for the Alcohol and Entertainment Bill, saying only that he hoped to lobby hard for its inclusion in the next Queen's Speech in autumn 2002.

He did offer some glimpse of the detail of the proposals, saying he would be pushing to simplify the current system.

He said he would support a dual licensing system where the personal licence does not need renewal unless the licensee is found in breach of its conditions.

The trade also came in for criticism from the minister, who said standards must be raised to attract tourists in the wake of the September 11 attacks.

He said skills needed to be improved and the image of the trade boosted.

"This is the only country I know where to work behind a bar is not regarded as a honourable profession. We need to change this image and show these employees they are working in a great and expanding industry," he added.