Ukraine crisis
This page features Commons Library publications relevant to the current conflict in Ukraine.

This Library paper looks at licensing and planning issues relating to betting shops in Great Britain.
Betting shops: licensing and planning issues (634 KB , PDF)
Under the Gambling Act 2005, a betting shop needs a premises licence, issued by the local licensing authority. Objections can be raised against an application for a new licence by interested parties (e.g. people living close by) and responsible authorities (e.g. the police). It is also possible to trigger a review of an existing licence.
The only objections that are likely to be relevant are those that relate to the Gambling Act’s licensing objectives, or that raise issues under a licensing policy statement, or the Gambling Commission’s guidance (September 2016) and codes of practice (October 2020). The Act’s licensing objectives are:
The 2005 Act abolished an earlier “demand test” for granting licences to open new gambling premises. The Act places a duty on the Gambling Commission to aim to permit gambling “in so far as the Commission think it reasonably consistent with pursuit of the licensing objectives”. This has led to concerns about the “clustering” of betting shops. A July 2020 Lords Committee report found that “the liberalisation of the regulation of gambling has led to an increased presence of gambling services on the high street.” It recommended that local authorities should be given powers to limit the number of new premises.
Concerns had also been expressed about local planning authorities’ ability to control the number of betting shops on the high street. The rules on permitted development and change of use were changed in April 2015, so that change of use to a betting shop requires planning permission.
Betting shops: licensing and planning issues (634 KB , PDF)
This page features Commons Library publications relevant to the current conflict in Ukraine.
A Westminster Hall debate has been scheduled for 18 January 2023 at 2.30pm on the funding decisions of Arts Council England. The debate will be led by Sir Robert Neill MP.
There will be a debate on the 2022 UEFA European Women's Football Championship and participation of girls and young women in sport on 9 November 2022 at 16:30pm. This debate will be led by Munira Wilson MP.