A DUP minister rebuffed a suggestion that there could be an extension of pub opening hours in Northern Ireland to celebrate the golden jubilee of the late Queen Elizabeth II in 2002, declassified files show.
Stormont minister Maurice Morrow told an official he would not raise the issue with the Northern Ireland Executive, despite similar measures being considered in England and Wales.
A file on planning arrangements for the jubilee celebrations reveals a series of civil service correspondences on how Northern Ireland would mark the occasion.
It includes a letter sent on January 11 2001 from an official in the Office of the First Minister/Deputy First Minister (OFMDFM) to the Department of Social Development, advising that a committee had been set up in London to consider a programme of celebrations.
The correspondence says: “One of the issues the committee is currently considering is the possibility of deregulating liquor licensing laws during the golden jubilee celebrations on the same lines as the arrangements made for the millennium.
“It is felt that the golden jubilee bank holiday on Monday 3 June 2002 is likely to be an occasion on which many public houses and similar licensed premises would wish to stay open beyond normal closing time.”
The letter said a paper had been prepared on the issue of extending opening hours.
It adds: “You will note that paragraph seven of the paper indicates that the devolved administrations ‘would need to consider deregulation separately within their own jurisdictions’.
“I thought that you would wish to be aware that this issue is receiving active consideration for England and Wales and to consider whether anything needs to be done for Northern Ireland.”
Some months later a “progress report” was sent between officials in OFMDFM, which again raised the issue of licensing laws.
The matter was put to their minister Maurice Morrow (DUP) who indicated that he would not be asking the NIE to approve any change to current licensing laws
It says: “I spoke to Gordon Gibson, DSD, about Terry Smith’s letter of 12 January 2001 about licensing laws: the matter was put to their minister Maurice Morrow (DUP) who indicated that he would not be asking the NIE (Northern Ireland Executive) to approve any change to current licensing laws in NI to allow for either 24 hour opening (as at the millennium) nor a blanket approval for extended opening hours as is being considered in GB.
“In both cases, primary legislation would be required here and would necessitate consultation and the minister has ruled out any consultation process.”
The correspondence says individual licensees could still apply for an extension to opening hours on an ad hoc basis, adding “there the matter rests”.
Ministers may well come under pressure in due course for a relaxation and/or parity with GB
It goes on: “DSD await further pronouncements from the Home Office and Gibson and I have agreed to notify each other of any developments we become aware of and he will copy me to any (existing) relevant papers.
“Ministers may well come under pressure in due course for a relaxation and/or parity with GB.”
The document concludes “That’s it so far…making haste slowly?”
Emails sent between officials in the department the same month said that lord lieutenants in Northern Ireland had been approached about local events to mark the jubilee.
One message says: “Lord lieutenants have not shown any enthusiasm for encouraging GJ celebrations at a local level.
“Lady Carswell in particular believes that it would be difficult for LLs to encourage such activities without appearing political.”
