Labour MP is organising Commons debate on licensing

A Parliamentary debate on who should control licensing is being organised by Labour MP Gisela Stuart.

Mrs Stuart (pictured)​ is pushing for a Commons debate on the issue because she wants to stop ministers going ahead with the controversial changes which will see local authorities take control of licensing.

She believes that if councillors gain control, there will be more trouble-filled pubs and crime-ridden town centres and feels magistrates know more about the system and deal effectively with troublemakers on a daily basis.

Mrs Stuart intends to hold a special Parliamentary debate on the matter when the Commons returns from its summer recess in October

She said: "This is not the right way to go and could lead to some terrible decisions. Magistrates are far more aware of what's actually going on in their patch than some council committees."

The Labour MP also fears that the proposed change could see residents' lives made a misery if noisy and rowdy pubs are allowed to stay open by ill-informed councillors.

"If they lose control over the licensing process it could easily mean the wrong venues are allowed to remain open when they should have licences revoked," she added.

Licensees are also against councils taking control. More than two thirds of licensees want to scrap the current licensing reform bill and start again from scratch, according to The Publican's Market Report 2002.

Sixty-eight per cent of licensees who responded to the annual survey are not happy with the draft regulations and support the campaign to "Kill the bill" set up by Stuart Neame of Kent brewer Shepherd Neame and JD Wetherspoon chairman Tim Martin.

In particular, they oppose plans for local authority control of licensing which they fear will lead to politically-biased decisions and undue emphasis on residents' opinions.

Now the trade's hopes are resting on Prime Minister Tony Blair to make dramatic changes before the Queen's Speech in November.