Licensing Hours Extensions Bill

Overview of the Bill

• The Bill will amend the Licensing Act 2003 so that licensing hours orders can be made by negative resolution statutory instrument (SIs) instead of requiring the affirmative procedure. This will apply to England and Wales.
• The affirmative procedure is a type of parliamentary procedure that applies to SIs. Its name describes the form of scrutiny that the SI receives from Parliament; an SI laid under the affirmative procedure must be actively approved by both Houses of Parliament, meaning that it must be debated in both Houses of Parliament. A negative procedure SI becomes law on the day the Minister signs it and automatically remains law unless a motion – or ‘prayer’ – to reject it is agreed by either House within 40 sitting days.