The Home Office has confirmed there will be no requirement on licensing authorities to complete the annual alcohol licensing statistical return.

In its notification to licensing authorities, the Home Office’s Licensing Statistics Team said: “In October 2018, we informed you the Home Office was launching a consultation on the ‘Alcohol and late night refreshment licensing’ statistical release and, in response to this consultation, the Home Office will not be running the alcohol and late night refreshment licensing data collection for 2018/19.

“The next data collection will cover the 2019/20 period, with data to be submitted in April 2020. This will reduce the burden on licensing authorities of collecting this data while continuing to ensure the data series is available for uses of the data. The Home Office Licensing Statistics team will be in touch again in early 2020 with further details.”