Liberal Lord Tim Clement Jones has received answers to his previously reported questions about the government's recent report on live music in the UK, which he said was full of holes. The report by the Department Of Culture, Media & Sport in part justified the government's opposition to Clement Jones' Live Music Bill, which would amend the 2003 Licensing Act which many music types argue is crippling the grass roots music scene.

Among Clement-Jones' questions was one that asked whether the DCMS consulted the Musicians' Union or Incorporated Society Of Musicians on whether the number of professional musicians employed in live music had changed since the 2003 act came into force in 2005. The government department admitted it had not, but said it had had a good look at the MU's website and couldn't find any stats on there. So that's alright then.

Clement-Jones also wanted more information on the DCMS's stats regarding the number of people attending live music events between 2005 and 2009. Although live music attendance is undeniably up, the Lord wanted to know how much of the increase was accounted for by uber-venues like The O2 and Wembley Stadium, and whether there was actually a decline at the grass roots end of the market. The DCMS admitted it didn't have access to that sort of data breakdown, even though the stats were based on their own research.

I haven't spoken to Tim yet, but I'm guessing neither of those answers are going to convince him that the government know what they are talking about when it comes to knocking back his Live Music Bill, or when rejecting most of the proposals of parliament's Culture, Media & Sport Select Committee, whose review of the Licensing Act preceded and informed the Lord's bill.