Earl Howe (Con)

My Lords, Amendment 21A is in my name and that of my noble friend Lord Kamall. In Committee the Minister stated that the Government would design a licensing regime that would support compliant retailers while targeting rogue operators. She also spoke of minimising burdens where possible and recognised the importance of ensuring that retailers and local authorities had sufficient time for training and development. Reference was also made to a call for evidence and to the subsequent consultation that would address matters such as the process for granting licences and implementation generally. A retail licensing system will require the creation of application systems, fee structures, compliance mechanisms and, crucially, enforcement arrangements. Local authorities will need to establish or adapt administrative systems, train their staff and ensure alignment with trading standards and environmental health functions. Small retailers, many of them independent businesses, will need to understand the new requirements. They will obviously have to submit applications, adjust their own internal processes and potentially invest in training or record-keeping systems. In our Committee debate, I was encouraged by the Minister’s statement, which indicated that the Government were actively seeking views on how long a period implementation would require. I therefore have a number of questions for the Minister. First, can she update the House on the outcome of the call for evidence, if she has it, and the subsequent consultation to which she referred in Committee? Specifically, is she in a position to provide the feedback the Government have received from retailers and local authorities on the time they would require to implement a licensing regime?