Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 21 January 2025 to Question 23524 on Licensing Laws, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that (a) new and existing pavement licences continue to allow for Licensing Act 2003 consent to be included and (b) licensed premises do not need to amend or vary their premises licence to have a pavement licence with alcohol.

The previous Government explored the feasibility of creating a unified consent regime that would grant businesses a pavement licence and the ability to sell alcohol for consumption there. Unifying the two regimes did not prove workable; the then Government launched a consultation on alternative options in May 2024.

This Government is carefully considering the results of the consultation and will publish the results imminently alongside next steps.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government is responsible for pavement licences. We support the use of pavement licences to encourage better use of outdoor space on our high streets, supporting businesses and revitalising spaces communities use. We have no plans to change the existing streamlined application process.