Hamish Birchall Bulletin
Friday 12th March 2010 - Last chance for live music bill?
Lord Clement-Jones' live music bill, which if enacted would exempt most small gigs from entertainment licensing red tape, is listed for 2nd reading debate today in the House of Commons. The bill is backed by UK Music, Equity, the Incorporated Society of Musicians, the original Live Music Forum (www.livemusicforum.co.uk), the Musicians Union, and the National Campaign for the Arts. However, at 14th in the list of private members bills it is unlikely to get any Parliamentary time and will almost certainly fail. Lib Dem shadow culture secretary Don Foster said:
Needless to say a lot depends on the outcome of the general election, which must be held by the end of May. The Conservatives have already backed the 200-capacity venue exemption recommended by the All Party Culture, Media and Sport Committee last year. Labour has promised to consider a 200-capacity exemption, but only if 'an overwhelming majority' backs this in the current DCMS consultation: http://www.culture.gov.uk/reference_library/consultations/6499.aspx The deadline for responses is 26th March. On 1st March, Music Week reported that DCMS had already received over
100 responses and that those by the Musicians Union and the Live Music
Forum had slated the government's 100-capacity proposal as too small: ENDS Hamish Birchall |