Tories promise red-tape cuts

A senior Conservative MP has assured licensees he will slash red-tape for pubs if his party is elected.

In an exclusive interview with The Publican, former cabinet minister John Redwood said he wants a £14bn-a-year cull of red-tape so businesses can focus more on their customers.

Under new proposals there would be a cabinet minister devoted to deregulation while dedicated politicians would oversee a process of cutting the burden of legislation.

Redwood said he may consider looking at the Licensing Act: "That is a good example where we may be able to simplify it, and that would be a case where we'd go through and see what to strike."

Under the new structure there would be a bill each year setting out what would be repealed, with a target of cutting regulation by 3.7 per cent a year over five years.

Redwood said there would be many chances for publicans to pitch ideas of what to cut. He said: "There'll be plenty of opportunities. While we are in opposition we can consider them, while in government that would be the main task for the deregulation secretary and the Prime Minister."

Other legislation under fire would be the Working Time Directive, data protection regulations, and health & safety. The proposals form part of a report by the Conservatives' economic competitiveness group, headed up by Redwood, which was released on Friday (August 17).

But some licensees are sceptical of the plans. David Wine of the Six Bells in Felsham, Suffolk, said: "That will never happen, because you're up against the civil service.

"The Conservative Party is just looking for votes. We are bred to pay taxes and that's it, none of them will cut anything, it's an absolute joke."