Question to the Home Office:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have any plans to repeal the law that permits 24-hour drinking in England.

The Government has no plans to amend the current system under the Licensing Act 2003 which allows licensing authorities to grant premises licences and make a decision on what opening hours are appropriate on a case by case basis based on the impact on the four licensing objectives. These are: the prevention of crime and disorder, public safety, prevention of public nuisance, and the protection of children from harm. However, this Government has introduced wider powers under the early morning alcohol restriction order (EMRO) which enable licensing authorities to restrict the sale of alcohol in the early hours in support of the licensing objectives.