Government shuns pubco review panel

In answer to a Parliamentary Question on the issue from shadow business minister, Toby Perkins MP, Lamb said: “On 24th November the Government announced a new tough and legally binding form of self-regulation for the pub industry, including a strengthened Industry Framework Code and the establishment of a Pubs Independent Conciliation and Arbitration Service (PICAS). As the Code will now be legally binding, it will ultimately be enforceable through the courts.

“The best way to deliver change quickly is for the industry to focus on implementing these reforms. It would not be appropriate, at this stage, to commission an independent review.”

It comes after Lamb hinted last week that that he would ignore the calls of MPs to set up the panel, which was voted for by a majority of MPs in the Commons last month.

In a letter being issued today, Toby Perkins MP will ask Norman Lamb to explain his decision not to establish the panel, which was proposed in a motion to the Commons by Business, Innovation and Skills Committee Chairman (BISC) Adrian Bailey MP.

Perkins said: “The news that the Government has reneged on the promise of an independent review will come as a huge disappointment to the very broad coalition of organisations who know that self regulation of pub companies isn’t working. It will add weight to the view that this Government is in the pocket of large vested interests in the pub industry.

“It will also come as a shock to all those people who believed that Ministers would respect the will of Parliament. The Business, Innovation and Skills Select Committee has done exhaustive work demonstrating what the pub industry needs and given the result of last month’s vote, it demonstrates appalling arrogance for the Government to then ignore the outcome and stick to ‘business as usual.

“Ministers are clearly not serious about taking the steps needed to support our publicans and I fear they will continue to sit idly by as more pubs go to the wall, more young people are put out of work and more communities are left without a vital local resource.”