Executives and live music campaigners had been seeking clarification from Licensing Minister Gerry Sutcliffe about the next steps in the consultation process, which opened on New Year's Eve and elicited more than 800 submissions before closing on March 26.

But since then there has been precious little information from Sutcliffe or the DCMS about the next steps in the process.

And the industry, which remains disappointed the Government did not jump on board Lord Clement-Jones' Live Music Bill, was alarmed ...