PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Music Venues: Noise (10 October 2014)

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent assessment his Department has made of changes in the level of threat facing music venues and cultural centres as a result of noise complaints; what the reasons are for this change; and what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the current (a) legislative framework and (b) departmental guidelines on this matter.

Asked by:
Kerry McCarthy (Labour)

The Government has recently reviewed its legislation as part of the Red Tape Challenge and believes that the law, as currently constituted, strikes the appropriate balance between considering the needs of music venues and managing the adverse effects that can come from noise.

The Department is in regular contact with the Department for the Environment, Food & Rural Affairs and the Department for Communities and Local Government on how the Licensing Act 2003, the Environmental Protection Act 1990, and the planning system inter-relate with one another for entertainment premises. The overall regulatory regime has to strike a balance between enabling communities to have well-run entertainment events, the needs of music venues as businesses, and managing the adverse effects that can come from noise.

The Government does not collect data relating to noise complaints. Results emerging from the National Noise Attitude survey in 2012 show that an estimated 3% of the UK population specifically identified public houses, clubs and other types of entertainment venue as a source of noise that was “moderately, very or extremely” bothering, annoying or disturbing them. These findings are similar to the results of previous noise attitude surveys conducted in 2008 and 2000.

The Government keeps its legislation and guidance on licensing, statutory noise nuisance, and planning under regular review.

Answered by:
Lord Vaizey of Didcot (Conservative)
15 October 2014