The new Live Music E Petition has hit 1000 signatures in its first week!

Please sign and circulate this.

 http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/livemusicevents/

More information can be found here. http://www.livemusicforum.co.uk/

Roger Gall wrote:
> The new Live Music E Petition has hit 1000 signatures in its first week!
> 
> Please sign and circulate this.
> 
>  http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/livemusicevents/


Is there any indication that "petitions.number10.gov.uk" achieves 
anything other than allowing people to let off steam?

At 14:45:29 on Fri, 31 Jul 2009, Mark Bluemel  
wrote in <h4ushp$jis$1@news.eternal-september.org>:

>Is there any indication that "petitions.number10.gov.uk" achieves 
>anything other than allowing people to let off steam?

"If voting changed anything, they'd make it illegal."
-- 
Molly Mockford
They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety
deserve neither liberty nor safety - Benjamin Franklin
(My Reply-To address *is* valid, though may not remain so for ever.)

The following from Hamish Birchall -  http://www.livemusicforum.co.uk/

A petition calling on the Prime Minister to stop using the Licensing Act to
criminalise live music and to implement amendments that would exempt small
gigs has gained over 1000 signatures since it was launched last Monday, 27
July: http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/livemusicevents/

Please consider signing.  If you support the petition, please circulate the
link above as widely as possible.

Many local authorities use the Act to bully small venues, including schools:
http://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/news/School-show-scrapped-after-head.5080776.jp

Providing musical instruments is of itself a potential offence:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1194875/Strolling-Beethoven-Playing-PIANO-street--start-new-craze.html

Even musical instruments provided by schools are caught in this madness, as
confirmed in this 'Yes Minister' government response of 15 July 2009 to
questions raised by Lord Clement-Jones:

Lord Clement-Jones: To ask Her Majesty's Government what information or
guidance has been provided to schools and local authorities concerning the
requirement to license the provision of musical instruments as
"entertainment facilities" under the Licensing Act 2003 where such
instruments are used in public performances of live music or private
performances that seek to raise money for good causes. [HL4839]
The Minister for Communications, Technology and Broadcasting (Lord Carter of
Barnes): The department has provided general advice to applicants on its
website and detailed guidance to licensing authorities on the 2003 Act as it
affects the provision of regulated entertainment. However, the Act has
devolved responsibility for the administration of the licensing regime to
individual authorities and it is for them to consider each application on
its own merits. The Act does not draw a distinction between events which are
put on for charity purposes and those which are not.

Although the 2003 Act requires schools and colleges to obtain a licence for
regulated entertainment to which the public are invited, or for a private
entertainment where a fee is charged with a view to profit, they are exempt
from paying the licence fee if the event is provided by, located at and for
the purpose of the school or college.

Lord Clement-Jones: To ask Her Majesty's Government what proportion of
schools in England and Wales are licensed under the Licensing Act 2003 for
performances of live music and the provision of musical instruments as
"entertainment facilities". [HL4840]

Lord Carter of Barnes: We do not hold this information. The statistical data
collected by the department identify how many premises have permission, in
the form of a premises licence or club premises certificate, to put on
regulated entertainment, including live music. However, it is not known how
many schools have obtained an appropriate permission to cover live
performances of music and the provision of entertainment facilities, or
indeed any other form of regulated entertainment such as a dance event or a
play. In some cases, a school may decide to put on an event by giving a
temporary event notice.

Although the Licensing Act 2003 requires schools and colleges to obtain a
licence for regulated entertainment to which the public are invited, or for
a private entertainment where a fee is charged with a view to profit, they
are exempt from paying the licence fee if the event is provided by, located
at and for the purpose of the school or college.

See:
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld200809/ldhansrd/text/90715w0002.htm#09071576000578

ENDS

Molly Mockford wrote:
> At 14:45:29 on Fri, 31 Jul 2009, Mark Bluemel  
> wrote in <h4ushp$jis$1@news.eternal-september.org>:
> 
>> Is there any indication that "petitions.number10.gov.uk" achieves 
>> anything other than allowing people to let off steam?
> 
> "If voting changed anything, they'd make it illegal."

So should the next e-Petition be "Give e-Petitions legal force"?

If they ignore the result of that one, there's your answer.