The Licensing Act is set to streamline the licensing system for premises selling alcohol. This will abolish fixed opening hours and introduce a range of measures to reduce anti-social behaviour.

This Act, much anticipated following the government's failure to introduce legislation in the last parliamentary session, is designed to minimise public disorder resulting from "artificially fixed" closing times and encourage a more civilised culture in pubs, bars and restaurants.

"It balances liberalisation and deregulation with new levels of protection for local residents and communities," said culture secretary Tessa Jowell.

The Act brings together six separate Acts, which will, according to the Department of Culture, Media and Sport, "potentially deliver savings of £1.97 billion over the first ten years of operation, sweeping away considerable red tape."

The power to grant alcohol licences will be transferred from the magistrates' court to local authorities. Local residents will be given a "powerful voice" in the licensing process. Fire, police and other emergency and local services will have an input in the applications. Police will be given powers to close any licensed premises without notice for up to 24 hours in the event of "disorder or nuisance".

A spokesperson on the bill team said the planned legislation is a "balanced package of freedoms and safeguards."

According to the Department for Culture Media and Sport, it will take until 2005 for the Act to take full effect, putting an end to fixed closing times and introducing a flexible licensing regime.

The original proposals were laid out in the white paper Time for Reform: Proposals for the Modernisation of Our Licensing Laws, published April 2002.

In brief, the Act will:

• introduce flexible opening hours, helping to minimise public disorder resulting from artificially fixed closing times and encourage a more civilised culture in pubs, bars and restaurants;

• remove unnecessary administrative overheads for businesses and remove the need to hold licensing hearings in the vast majority of cases;

• provide stronger protection for local residents, giving them a powerful voice in the licensing process;

• give residents the right to make representations to the licensing authority about new applications and to call for reviews of existing ones, and;

• establish police powers to close any licensed premises without notice for up to 24 hours where disorder or noise nuisance is occurring, in order to protect the public and prevent further disorder.

House of Lords

First reading: November 14 2002 (HL Bill 1)

Second reading: November 26 2002

Committee Stage

• 1st sitting: December 12 2002
• 2nd sitting: December 17 2002
• 3rd sitting: December 19 2002
• 4th sitting: January 13 2003
• 5th sitting: January 16 2003
• 6th sitting: January 20 2003

The bill as amended in committee (HL Bill 21)

Report stage

• 1st day: February 24 2003
• 2nd day: February 27 2003
• 3rd day: March 4 2003

Third reading: March 11 2003 Bill as amended (HL Bill 73)

House of Commons

First reading: March 12 2003

Second reading: March 24 2003

Committee stage: (SC D)

• 1st sitting: April 1 2003 (am)
• 2nd sitting: April 1 2003 (pm)
• 3rd sitting: April 3 2003 (am)
• 4th sitting: April 8 2003 (am)
• 5th sitting: April 8 2003 (pm)
• 6th sitting: April 10 2003 (am)
• 7th sitting: April 10 2003 (pm)
• 8th sitting: April 29 2003 (am)
• 9th sitting: April 29 2003 (pm)
• 10th sitting: May 6 2003
• 11th sitting: May 8 2003 (am)
• 12th sitting: May 8 2003 (pm)
• 13th sitting: May 13 2003 (am)
• 14th sitting: May 13 2003 (pm)
• 15th sitting: May 15 2003 (am)
• 16th sitting: May 15 2003 (pm)
• 17th sitting: May 20 2003 (am)
• Bill as amended (HC Bill 109)

Remaining stages: June 16 2003

House of Lords

Consideration of Commons amendments: June 19 2003 Bill as amended (HC Bill 131)

House of Commons

Consideration of Lords amendments: June 24 2003 Bill as amended (HL Bill 85)

House of Lords

Consideration of Commons amendments: July 3 2003

House of Commons

Consideration of Lords amendments: July 8 2003

Royal Assent: July 10 2003