That this House notes that predatory purchasing of pubs by supermarkets remains a significant problem, with supermarkets targeting pubs due to permitted development rights that allow a pub to be converted into a supermarket without planning permission; further notes that these rights mean that communities and councils have no say over the closure of pubs or the imposition of supermarkets and is leading to the loss of viable and profitable pubs against the wishes of local communities and publicans; praises Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) branches around the country who work so hard to protect their local pubs, including against the threat of supermarket conversions; notes that the Cooperative are converting pubs to supermarkets against the wishes of communities up and down the country; notes the agreement between the CAMRA Head Office and the Cooperative signed in 2014; notes that a representative from the Cooperative gave a clear assurance to hon. Members in March 2016 that the Cooperative would no longer take at face value the word of pubcos on pub viability and notes with dismay that they have broken their word on this; notes that CAMRA's agreement is failing but also giving cover for the Cooperative to close and convert pubs; and believes that the continued existence of this failed agreement is letting down hardworking CAMRA branches and members and must now be ripped up by CAMRA Head Office who should instead act in the interests of pubs and CAMRA members and properly take the Cooperative to task for their deliberate destruction of viable pubs.

That this House notes that predatory purchasing of pubs by supermarkets remains a significant problem, with supermarkets targeting pubs due to permitted development rights that allow a pub to be converted into a supermarket without planning permission; further notes that these rights mean that communities and councils have no say...

That this House welcomes the fourth annual Leeds Business Week, which runs from 17 to 21 October 2016; notes that it is a week-long programme of over 100 events dedicated to the business and wider community across the city, attracting delegates and contributors from across the Leeds City Region and beyond; further notes that it is the biggest business week anywhere in the UK, drawing over 3,000 delegates and contributors each year; believes that Leeds City Region has a key role to play in the success of UK plc, with an economy worth over £56 billion; commends the region for being home to the largest financial and business sector outside London and also the UK's third biggest manufacturing sector; believes that Leeds Business Week is an excellent opportunity to bring together local business owners, entrepreneurs, executives, not for profit organisations, educational institutions and local authority and public sector teams; has every confidence Leeds will continue to build upon its many economic and business successes; wishes everyone partaking in the week an enjoyable and successful time; and expresses its thanks to all the staff, volunteers and organisers for their commitment and making Leeds Business Week happen.

That this House welcomes the fourth annual Leeds Business Week, which runs from 17 to 21 October 2016; notes that it is a week-long programme of over 100 events dedicated to the business and wider community across the city, attracting delegates and contributors from across the Leeds City Region and...

That this House notes the announcement in February by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) to remove the valuation check service for unlisted companies' employee share ownership schemes to take effect from 31 March 2016; is concerned that this decision was made with no consultation of the representative bodies which promote employee share ownership schemes in both listed and unlisted companies; is further concerned with the withdrawal of this vital service as many unlisted and smaller companies may no longer feel able to offer these schemes without the rubber stamp approval of HMRC; further notes the HMRC-commissioned research by Oxera which found these schemes have a significant impact on productivity; notes the UK still lags behind other developed nations on productivity levels and believes these schemes should be encouraged and supported by the Government; notes the benefits these schemes have in allowing employees to share in the financial performance of businesses which succeed through collective efforts; and calls on the Treasury to pause this decision until it has, in consultation with businesses and representative bodies, explored all options available to ensure employee share ownership schemes continue to be a mechanism used by all companies to make them more productive and ensure that their employees are able to share in the success they have helped to create.

That this House notes the announcement in February by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) to remove the valuation check service for unlisted companies' employee share ownership schemes to take effect from 31 March 2016; is concerned that this decision was made with no consultation of the representative bodies which promote...

That this House notes the appointment of the Pubs Adjudicator; expresses concern about the choice of Paul Newby due to conflict of interest and financial links with the large pubcos the Adjudicator should regulate; further notes that he is a Director of Fleurets, which derives substantial income from these companies, and that his entry on the Pubs Independent Rent Review Scheme website states that he acted for Enterprise Inns, Marstons and Punch Taverns in the last five years; notes that his term is four years and that if he returned to surveying he could be threatening his and Fleuret's future work for pubcos if he criticised and fined pubcos they act for; is concerned that the Minister for Small Business, Industry and Enterprise says he is already helping the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) despite currently acting for pubcos he will be regulating and that this could influence the Code's content, noting the opposition of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors to parallel rent assessments, something BIS had previously indicated would be in the Code and no longer is; believes he cannot be viewed as impartial by tenants and tenants groups who criticise and oppose this appointment; further believes there would rightly have been an outcry had the Groceries Code Adjudicator been a surveyor to a large supermarket chain; therefore believes that Mr Newby's appointment will command no confidence amongst tenants; and calls on Ministers to withdraw this appointment, restart the recruitment process in a transparent manner and appoint a neutral and independent Adjudicator who will command confidence whilst carrying out the important duties of this crucial role.

That this House notes the appointment of the Pubs Adjudicator; expresses concern about the choice of Paul Newby due to conflict of interest and financial links with the large pubcos the Adjudicator should regulate; further notes that he is a Director of Fleurets, which derives substantial income from these companies,...

That this House welcomes the letter sent by Dark Star Brewing Company to Tesco about some of the 43 stores Tesco is looking to close this year, offering to buy back some of them, and that they could be converted back into pubs; condemns the weak planning system currently in place which allows predatory purchasing of pubs and converting them into supermarkets without needing planning permission; notes the results of the research carried out by the Campaign for Real Ale that found supermarkets were responsible for two out of 31 pub closures per week between 2012 to 2014 in order to create more stores; believes that local communities, entrepreneurs, smaller breweries, and small pub companies should be allowed a say in seeking to protect much-valued local pubs; and supports the Pubs Matter campaign in its call to the Government to make the simple amendment to the General Permitted Development Order 1995 so that planning permission and consent from the local community is always required before any pubs can be demolished or converted in the future.

That this House welcomes the letter sent by Dark Star Brewing Company to Tesco about some of the 43 stores Tesco is looking to close this year, offering to buy back some of them, and that they could be converted back into pubs; condemns the weak planning system currently in...

That this House criticises large retailers who chose to adopt the American retail custom of Black Friday on the day after the American Thanksgiving holiday and at the traditional start of the Christmas shopping season; notes that the huge discounts led to scenes of disorder in some stores as many police had to attend to prevent or break up fights in stores, whilst other stores were forced to close; further notes with concern the safety risk that this custom poses; further notes that many shoppers suffered injuries due to the level of public disorder caused by this event; recognises the importance of police time and the unnecessarily high demands that Black Friday is placing on it; sympathises with police officers who have expressed frustrations including Sir Peter Fahy, Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police, who said that officers have enough to do already; and calls on all UK retailers not to mark this event in 2015 or again.

That this House criticises large retailers who chose to adopt the American retail custom of Black Friday on the day after the American Thanksgiving holiday and at the traditional start of the Christmas shopping season; notes that the huge discounts led to scenes of disorder in some stores as many...

That this House condemns the disgraceful campaign of misinformation by the pubcos' trade association, the British Beer and Pubs Association (BBPA) who are misrepresenting Clause 42 in the Small Business, Employment and Enterprise Bill and falsely presenting predictions of its effect; notes that BBPA have misrepresented predictions of the discredited London Economics study by claiming that study said it 'would' lead to closures when it says 'may', that they have presented only the top figure of a scale of predictions that are misrepresenting these figures when they do not actually apply to Clause 42 but were based on immediate MRO; further notes this report was exposed as being based on 'confidential data' supplied by pubcos and that the conclusions are invalid in failing to understand the legal position of leases; further notes previous false and misleading statements made by the BBPA in 2013 including by the Chief Executive to the Business, Innovation and Skills Committee and claiming on television that the Government's own figures show that there are more pubs that are closing that are free-of-tie than that are closing that are tied, when the reality is that the Government had no pub closure figures, nor do CGA Strategy collect pub closure figures; believes the BBPA is now thoroughly discredited and not trusted in Westminster and Whitehall and as such can no longer fulfil its role as a representative body; and calls on BBPA members to review their membership and for the BBPA to be replaced by a new credible association.

That this House condemns the disgraceful campaign of misinformation by the pubcos' trade association, the British Beer and Pubs Association (BBPA) who are misrepresenting Clause 42 in the Small Business, Employment and Enterprise Bill and falsely presenting predictions of its effect; notes that BBPA have misrepresented predictions of the discredited...

That this House notes it is 25 years since Beer Orders were introduced in 1989 by a Conservative Prime Minister and Chancellor to break up the unhealthy dominance of the big six brewers which restricted choice for consumers and access to the market for small brewers; believes that the Government was right and courageous to take action, showing that Conservative Ministers do intervene in markets when they are failing consumers; further notes that due to industry lobbying the Government ignored the advice of the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) and did not introduce a pub ownership limit for non-brewing companies, a fundamental flaw that led to the creation of the large pubcos; further notes that before Beer Orders, there were big six brewers dominating the market, now there are six big pubcos and the large leased pubcos have abused the traditional brewery tie making it unfair for licensees and bad for customers; further believes that 25 years on the Government must put right the flaw in the Beer Orders by introducing a market rent only option for the tenants of the large companies; further notes that this is a market-based solution that would open the market and give consumers a better deal; and urges Ministers not to give in to well-funded, self-interested lobbying by the large pubcos and their lobbyists, the British Beer and Pub Association; and instead listen to CAMRA, the Federation of Small Businesses and the Forum of Private Business.

That this House notes it is 25 years since Beer Orders were introduced in 1989 by a Conservative Prime Minister and Chancellor to break up the unhealthy dominance of the big six brewers which restricted choice for consumers and access to the market for small brewers; believes that the Government...

That this House welcomes the 2013 beer duty cut and calls for a freeze in 2014; believes that this has benefited brewers but not pubco tenants who face above inflation pubco price increases; notes that Rob Willock, editor of the Publican's Morning Advertiser called this the pubco price escalator and agrees with his comments on 23 October 2013 that "there is one area in which pubco lessees still regularly appear to suffer in the relationship with their landlord that remains unregulated and potentially unfair - that of beer pricing" and that "pubcos fought passionately against the beer-duty-escalator - and won their concession. It's not fair for them to impose the same sort of mechanism on their lessees"; further notes that over six years from 2003 the price of an 11 gallons keg of Foster's increased to Enterprise Inns tenants 4.5 times the increase to freehouses; further notes the latest pubco price hike in February 2014, not followed by wholesalers; deplores Punch Taverns' £2.271 billion profit in 10 years from on-selling beer they don't brew to their own tenants; further notes that the ALMR benchmarking survey shows average tied rents are higher than free of tie, demonstrating that pubco tenants don't get low rents for higher beer prices but are doubly overcharged; and calls on the Treasury to support a market rent-only option for pubco tenants which would allow the open market to self-regulate product price, increase licensee earnings, make pubs more viable and reduce the price of a pint in pubco pubs.

That this House welcomes the 2013 beer duty cut and calls for a freeze in 2014; believes that this has benefited brewers but not pubco tenants who face above inflation pubco price increases; notes that Rob Willock, editor of the Publican's Morning Advertiser called this the pubco price escalator and...

That this House notes that Punch Taverns, a standalone pubco which does not brew beer made, according to its own figures, an extraordinary £2.271 billion profit between 2002 and 2012 on selling beer to their own tied licensees; believes that this is a wholly unacceptable amount of profit for a company which merely acts as a broker; further notes that the standalone pubcos make considerably more profit from selling on beer than the companies who brew it, with brewery profit estimated by the British Beer and Pub Association as being as low as one penny per pint; further notes that unlike supermarkets and Wetherspoon's, the large leased pubcos not only do not pass on the benefit of this buying power to consumers, but instead charge their own tied licensees hugely marked up prices for beer often around 70 per cent more than the price direct from brewers or wholesalers and fine them if they buy elsewhere; further notes that the Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers' annual benchmarking shows that average tied rents are actually higher than free of tie rents; further believes that this shows that the large pubcos continue to take too much from pub profits often leaving little or nothing for their tenants; further believes that this is yet more damning evidence of the reality of the pubco tied model which is both unjustifiable and unsustainable; and calls on the Government to implement the Business, Innovation and Skills Select Committee market rent-only option for companies with more than 500 pubs.

That this House notes that Punch Taverns, a standalone pubco which does not brew beer made, according to its own figures, an extraordinary £2.271 billion profit between 2002 and 2012 on selling beer to their own tied licensees; believes that this is a wholly unacceptable amount of profit for a...

That this House notes that Punch Taverns plc has announced final terms of its proposed debt restructuring to be voted on by the company's bondholders on 14 February 2014; further notes, with concern, that under the terms of the restructuring, £52 million described as Available Cash held outside the securitisations will be injected into Punch B, reducing this reserve to a total of £6 million; further notes that Punch Taverns plc requires its retailer partners to deposit with them cash, as credit collateral, and in its Annual Report 2013 these deposits totalled £22.6 million; recalls that this House has found it necessary to legislate to protect tenants when landlords hold deposits of this nature, with the risk that when they come into financial difficulties they might seek to utilise tenants' deposits for purposes other than underwriting the obligations of the tenant to the landlord; therefore calls on the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills to seek specific reassurances from Punch Taverns plc as to the status of retailer partner deposits and strict confirmation that the funds held as credit collateral from their retail partners is hypothecated to those retail partners in the event of corporate administration; and requests that the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills reviews the law regarding safeguards for small businesses when obliged to place funds at risk with commercial partners as security for their own creditworthiness without reference to the creditworthiness of the other party.

That this House notes that Punch Taverns plc has announced final terms of its proposed debt restructuring to be voted on by the company's bondholders on 14 February 2014; further notes, with concern, that under the terms of the restructuring, £52 million described as Available Cash held outside the securitisations...

That this House expresses concern at the misinformation supplied to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, hon and right hon. Members and the media by large pub companies and their lobbyists the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) regarding pub closures; notes the report by the All-Party Parliamentary Save the Pub Group, working with CGA Strategy, which exposes that false statements have been made; further notes that CGA figures show that between December 2005 and March 2013, 5,117 non-managed pubs closed compared with only 2,131 free trade pubs; further notes that BBPA's own figures show that over 10 years non-managed pubs decreased by over 8,000 whilst the free trade sector actually expanded by 1,600; condemns the myth that has been peddled suggesting that more free of tie pubs have closed than tied pubs; further notes that this has now been debunked and should not be repeated; further notes that the figures clearly show that tenanted and leased pubs have closed in greater number than free trade pubs, without even counting the thousands of temporary closures of pubco pubs each year; further notes the damning disposal figures with Enterprise Inns and Punch Taverns collectively disposing of over 5,000 pubs between 2008 and 2012, a third of all their pubs in just four years; expresses concern that false information has been taken at face value by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, HM Treasury and the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) leading to inappropriate assessments; calls for an investigation into this; and further calls on the Government and the OFT to accept the real picture of pub closures and to act accordingly.

That this House expresses concern at the misinformation supplied to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, hon and right hon. Members and the media by large pub companies and their lobbyists the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) regarding pub closures; notes the report by the All-Party Parliamentary Save...

That this House welcomes the research from the Federation of Small Businesses that shows that the introduction of a statutory code of practice including a market rent-only option for the large pub-owning companies would benefit the UK economy by an estimated £78 million; notes that the research, conducted anonymously through a market research company, shows that licensees would invest more in their pubs, employ more staff and stock a wider selection of beers; further notes that 9,888 pubs would take on a new member of staff or increase staff hours creating £48,666,758 of additional wages per year, 10,359 pubs would spend money on maintenance, meaning an extra £10,359,030 to the economy, 6,698 pubs would spend money on modernisation, meaning an extra £9,697,984 to the economy, and that 9,796 pubs would spend more on advertising and websites, meaning an extra £9,796,000 to the economy; further notes that the research also shows that 8,213 pubs would offer a wider range of beers, benefiting small breweries and 8,614 pubs in the UK would use the extra profits to bring down the price of a pint and that 98 per cent of tenants said they would have more confidence in the future of their business; believes that this powerful evidence shows the very strong case for the market rent-only option as the way to rejuvenate the pub sector; and calls on the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills to act on this and implement the Business, Innovation and Skills Select Committee market rent-only option for companies with more than 500 pubs.

That this House welcomes the research from the Federation of Small Businesses that shows that the introduction of a statutory code of practice including a market rent-only option for the large pub-owning companies would benefit the UK economy by an estimated £78 million; notes that the research, conducted anonymously through...

That this House welcomes the departure of Ted Tuppen, CEO of the UK's biggest pubco, Enterprise Inns, announced on 19 November 2013; notes that Early Day Motion 2452 of Session 2010-12 called for his resignation; thus believes that the resignation is overdue and will be welcomed by many who care about pubs including current and former Enterprise licensees; further notes financial results showing that Enterprise has posted a post tax loss with an 11.7 per cent fall in profits before tax; further notes that Enterprise, valued at £700 million, holds £2.5 billion net debt; further notes that Mr Tuppen has been paid millions of pounds, including bonuses, as Enterprise share prices have collapsed, licensees have failed and pubs have shut; further believes that Mr Tuppen, one of the main participants of the overvaluation securitisation scam at the heart of the pubco model, has done more damage to British pubs than any other individual; deplores Enterprise's business practices of exploiting its licensees through excessive prices and rents, draconian fines and harassment, which have led to the failure of thousands of pub businesses and the closure of thousands of pubs, many sold deliberately for alternative use and have also ruined lives; further notes that the company's culture reflects the ruthlessness, arrogance and bullying shown by its CEO; further believes that Enterprise's business model is unethical and financially unsustainable; and calls on the Government to finally reform the sector through a market rent only option to stamp out years of exploitation and abuse that will otherwise continue.

That this House welcomes the departure of Ted Tuppen, CEO of the UK's biggest pubco, Enterprise Inns, announced on 19 November 2013; notes that Early Day Motion 2452 of Session 2010-12 called for his resignation; thus believes that the resignation is overdue and will be welcomed by many who care...

That this House congratulates all staff past and present who have worked hard to keep vital local business Craftsman Tools thriving in Otley for 60 years; recognises the hard work which has gone into the continued successful expansion overseas and local development of the business over the past 60 years; welcomes its dedication to the local community; commends Craftsman Tools for creating a new apprentice training area this year and thus showing its commitment to young people in the area by employing and training increasing numbers of apprentices in its factory; recognises its links with local university Leeds Metropolitan University and its commitment to aiding students with research projects; acknowledges the dedication shown by Craftsman Tools to providing jobs in the local community where they are much needed; wishes it every success in the future; and expresses its commitment to valuing local businesses and aiding them to succeed as Craftsman Tools has.

That this House congratulates all staff past and present who have worked hard to keep vital local business Craftsman Tools thriving in Otley for 60 years; recognises the hard work which has gone into the continued successful expansion overseas and local development of the business over the past 60 years;...

That this House criticises the comments made by the editorial team of the Good Pub Guide that state that most of the 4,000 pubs they anticipate will close by 2014 deserve to shut due to them not being good enough, saying that they are stuck in the 1980s; condemns the lack of sensitivity shown at the potential loss of livelihood and homes for publicans whose pubs are forced to close; believes that there are very few pubs that cannot be good pubs with the right people owning and running them, and that, instead of welcoming closures of pubs, the Good Pub Guide should be looking at why so many community pubs are under-invested in and struggling, which in thousands of cases is due to the unfair pubco tied business model, which has led to chronic under-investment in many pubs as well as making it difficult for their publicans to compete due to the high rents and excessive prices they are forced to buy beer at which has made many pubs unviable that would not be on a fair agreement; suggests that the editors of the Good Pub Guide visit some of the now excellent pubs that were previously under-invested in, failing pubco pubs now thriving under local ownership; and calls on the Good Pub Guide, instead of criticising some pubs and supporting their closure, to look at the issues facing pubco pubs and to support more pubs being in local ownership which would mean these pubs would also have a chance to be good pubs with a positive future.

That this House criticises the comments made by the editorial team of the Good Pub Guide that state that most of the 4,000 pubs they anticipate will close by 2014 deserve to shut due to them not being good enough, saying that they are stuck in the 1980s; condemns the...

That this House is troubled by the repeated misleading statements from the large leased pub-owning companies and the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA); believes this is a cynical attempt to persuade the Government not to fulfil its commitment to reform the failing Pubco business model through a statutory code of practice for companies with 500 or more pubs; notes that these organisations have sent reports and other documents to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills presenting them as evidence of the negative effects of reform when there is no reliable evidence to back up these claims; further believes this to be a desperate bid to stop the Government fulfilling its promise to enshrine in law the principle that a tied licensee should not be worse-off than a free of tie licensee; is especially concerned by incorrect and misleading statements made by the Chief Executive of the BBPA, Brigid Simmonds, when appearing as a witness before the Business, Innovation and Skills Committee on 11 June 2013; further notes that in her response to a letter from the All-Party Parliamentary Save the Pub Group detailing their concerns, Ms Simmonds has admitted to providing two incorrect statements; further notes that in the Business and Enterprise Committee's Seventh Report, Session 2008-09 (Pub Companies) pub company bosses were reported to have given partial and in one case positively false information to the Committee; calls on the Committee to take appropriate action; and further calls on the Department to properly scrutinise all claims made by those opposing reform.

That this House is troubled by the repeated misleading statements from the large leased pub-owning companies and the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA); believes this is a cynical attempt to persuade the Government not to fulfil its commitment to reform the failing Pubco business model through a statutory code...

That this House welcomes the Fair Deal for Your Local campaign supported by the Federation of Small Businesses, Forum of Private Business, the Campaign for Real Ale, Guild of Master Victuallers, Fair Pint, Licensees Supporting Licensees, Pubs Advisory Service, Justice for Licensees and Licensees Unite calling for a fair deal for licensees tied to large pub companies; further welcomes the Government's commitment to introduce a statutory code of practice to enshrine principles of fair dealing and that tied licensees should not be worse off than free of tie licensees; notes that large companies take more than is fair or sustainable from pub profits in both inflated product prices and excessive rents, causing failure of pub businesses nationwide; believes that to deliver the Government's commitment the code must include an option for tied landlords of large companies to pay an independently assessed market rent only to their pub owning company and that this should be offered alongside tied agreements; further notes that this solution was put forward by the former Business and Enterprise Committee, and now by the Business, Innovation and Skills Committee, with unanimous cross-party support of Committee members; further believes that this would deliver a fair and positive business relationship between large pub companies and their licensees, resulting in a thriving pub sector which would boost the economy; supports the commitment to exclude family brewers by applying the code to companies that own more than 500 pubs; and urges the Government to implement this to secure a sustainable future for Britain's pubs.

That this House welcomes the Fair Deal for Your Local campaign supported by the Federation of Small Businesses, Forum of Private Business, the Campaign for Real Ale, Guild of Master Victuallers, Fair Pint, Licensees Supporting Licensees, Pubs Advisory Service, Justice for Licensees and Licensees Unite calling for a fair deal...