Licensing shambles of the government's making - Foster

11.43.56am BST (GMT +0100) Sun 7th Aug 2005

Don Foster MP, Liberal Democrat Shadow DCMS Secretary, commenting ahead of the deadline for businesses to apply to have their licences to serve alcohol after 11pm automatically extended, said:

"This shambles is of the Government's own making. It is not surprising so many businesses have yet to apply when the Government's licensing rules state that the later you apply, the less you pay.

"Liberal Democrat calls for the Government to delay the implementation of the Licensing Act have fallen on deaf ears.

"If the Government is intent on pressing ahead they must be ready to declare a state of emergency in our courts system to ensure application logjams don't result in pubs closing for Christmas."