Healey: beer tie action applies to all

Family brewers will be included in plans to offer tenants a free of tie option and a guest beer right, Pubs Minister John Healey has confirmed in an interview with the Morning Advertiser​.

Healey said his 12-point action plan to help pubs was based on offering fairness, flexibility and diversification.

Healey has promised a new set of Beer Orders if the industry does not voluntarily strengthen its code of practice to include a free of tie option and a guest beer right by June 2011 (Pubcos face new Beer Orders​).

"The Government has thrown its weight behind the select committee report," he said. "The industry has its own code and now they have to live up to those standards. And we have said it is reasonable to see them do so in a year.

"We are going further and require them to meet the standards or we will regulate where required."

The Independent Family Brewers of Britain (IFBB) warned it would have a "potentially enormous impact" on its 26 members (Family brewers concerned over Healey beer tie proposals​).

"I understand that (concern) and our biggest concern was with pubcos and their relationship with tenants rather than family brewers," said Healey.

"Our concern was not to force a non-tie deal on those who own or rent pubs but to make sure a non-tie option is there. The same principle goes for allowing tenants to run a guest beer — we are not forcing it but want to give them the choice."

When pushed on whether he expected family brewers to be included in this, he replied: "Yes".

Tough proposals​

The minister wants all Brulines equipment to be calibrated by the National Weights and Measurement Laboratory.

"I think, again, the onus is on the industry to put its house in order," he said. "The Government is prepared to act where required if they can't do it."

The Government also wants an "enforcer" to police pubco codes, likely to be the BII, but Healey said he had "no firm ideas" on who that should be at the moment.

On the duty escalator, the prominent point missing from the plan, he said: "Any decision on duty is down to the Chancellor."

He added: "The PM only brought me in a few weeks ago to bash some heads together on this. We have set out the principles for an action plan.

"I wanted to produce a plan for all departments to play a part in. There is no one solution to the problems pubs are facing.

"But there are some tough practical steps set out here to take in the short and medium term so we can help community pubs through that period.

"We can't stop all pubs closing or reverse the recent trends or change the way people are spending their leisure pound.

"But we can give more help to pubs that play a huge part in their communities."

Uproar​

Meanwhile, Business, Innovation & Skills Committee (BISC) chairman Peter Luff MP told the MA that there would be "uproar" if any Government abandoned Healey's strategy after the election.

He also revealed that consumer affairs minister Kevin Brennan wrote to him saying that making pubco codes of conduct mandatory is still on the cards if they are shown to be ineffective. Referring the tie to the Competition Commission is also not ruled out.

The Committee is to meet on Tuesday to discuss its response to Healey's announcement.

Tory MP Luff said he didn't know the Conservative's plans for the tie if they win the election, but said: "I think this is such a serious issue that for a Government to back away from [the strategy] would cause uproar. We can be sure any Government would stick to the strategy."

He added: "This looks to me quite a remarkable development. I'm pleasantly surprised."