Licensing Act 2003

182 Guidance

(1) The Secretary of State must issue guidance (“the licensing guidance”) to licensing authorities on the discharge of their functions under this Act.

(2) But the Secretary of State may not issue the licensing guidance unless a draft of it has been laid before, and approved by resolution of, each House of Parliament.

(3) The Secretary of State may, from time to time, revise the licensing guidance.

(4) A revised version of the licensing guidance does not come into force until the Secretary of State lays it before Parliament.

(5) Where either House, before the end of the period of 40 days beginning with the day on which a revised version of the licensing guidance is laid before it, by resolution disapproves that version—

(a) the Secretary of State must, under subsection (3), make such further revisions to the licensing guidance as appear to him to be required in the circumstances, and

(b) before the end of the period of 40 days beginning with the date on which the resolution is made, lay a further revised version of the licensing guidance before Parliament.

(6) In reckoning any period of 40 days for the purposes of subsection (5), no account is to be taken of any time during which—

(a) Parliament is dissolved or prorogued, or

(b) both Houses are adjourned for more than four days.

(7) The Secretary of State must arrange for any guidance issued or revised under this section to be published in such manner as he considers appropriate.