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<p>The Government consulted publicly on whether licensing hours should be relaxed
during the FIFA World Cup 2014. A range of representations were made both for and
against the proposal. We received a total of 1,468 responses to the online consultation.
77% (1,095 respondents) believed that any national relaxation of licensing hours should
apply to England and Wales. However, only 2% (25 respondents) identified themselves
as living or working in Wales. <br><br>While a majority of Welsh respondents favoured
a relaxation for England and Wales, there was a difference between English and Welsh
respondents about how the relaxation might be delivered. There was a clear majority
of Welsh respondents who favoured using the Temporary Event Notice system, rather
than a blanket relaxation, while of English respondents the majority (74%) favoured
a blanket relaxation. This is consistent with what the Government has opted to do:
a national blanket relaxation in England, with licensed premises able to use the Temporary
Event Notice system in Wales.<br><br>Section 172 of the Licensing Act 2003 allows
the relevant Secretary of State to make an order relaxing opening hours for licensed
premises to mark occasions of ‘exceptional international, national or local significance'.
The Government considers that the England football team's participation in the FIFA
World Cup 2014 is an event of exceptional national significance in England. <br><br>The
Government has therefore decided not to include Wales in the relaxation of licensing
hours for the FIFA World Cup 2014. However, licensed premises in Wales wishing to
remain open beyond their licensed hours will be able to do so by using the Temporary
Event Notice procedure.</p><p> </p>
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