AQW 9769/17-22

Ms Kellie Armstrong
Alliance Party
Strangford

Tabled Date: 05/11/2020
Answered On Date: 17/11/2020
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister for Communities to detail the current number of holders of (i) liquor licenses; and (ii) register of clubs, broken down by (a) sex; (b) age under 25 years old; (c) age 25 to 65 year old; (d) age 65 years plus; and (e) resident in Northern Ireland.

Answer:

Although my Department is responsible for the policy and legislation regarding the retail sale and supply of alcoholic drinks, the courts are responsible for issuing liquor licences and certificates of registration.

Each District Court provides my Department with the number of liquor licences and certificates of registration that they hold on an annual basis. The most recent figures the Department hold show there were 2679 liquor licences and 485 registered clubs in 2019.

It is possible for the courts to renew a licence up to 12 months after it expires and subsequent year’s figures may therefore show adjustments due to successful late applications.

The remainder of the information requested will be held in the registers of liquor licences and registered clubs in each District Court. I believe that the information is held in hard copy format and can be viewed by prior arrangement.