Last August, I made the Retail Price (Beverages in Licensed Premises) Display Order, 1999, which obliges publicans to display a price list immediately outside or immediately inside each entrance to their premises.
Following the making of the order, the Director of Consumer Affairs, who has responsibility for its enforcement, agreed to my request to undertake an intense inspection drive to make sure that the order was enforced. I understand from the Director that, following the making of the order, her inspectorate carried out an intensive survey of licensed premises to establish levels of compliance. These visits indicated that more than 75% of the publicans visited were not in compliance with the requirements of the order. I also understand that a programme of second visits was undertaken in January and February of this year and that, while these visits showed a lower figure of non-compliance, of 30%, it was clear that many premises were still not in compliance.