Licensing legislation is currently ’all over the place’ the government minister in charge of it has admitted.

Home Affairs Minister Bill Malarkey hopes to have a new Licensing Bill ready to introduce by next year.

’The licensing bills in the Isle of Man are all over the place,’ he said. ’This really is a very big tidying-up exercise, which will make life a lot easier for the courts, for the licensing trade, basically for everything. It covers the music licences, it covers off-licences, it covers just about everything there is.’

Mr Malarkey was responding to questions in the House of Keys from Rob Callister (Onchan), who asked when the 1995 Licensing Act would be replaced.

The minister said the new legislation would be an ’enabling bill’ - so that other rules could be brought in by Tynwald orders rather than primary legislation - and that his department had been working with the licensing industry, police and advocates.

Mr Malarkey added: ’A consultation has been taking place with the trade over the last 18 months, ever since I came into the department and before the instructions were sent to the AG’s office.

’Once we have a draft bill it will go out for public consultation as well.’