In a regular series for WB Online, the CAMRA Campaigns Team shares the work that has been going on across Westminster, the devolved parliaments and local government. Read the first installment here.

WESTMINSTER 

All-Party Parliamentary Pub Group (Pubs APPG) – secretariat provided by CAMRA 

The Pubs APPG held an oral evidence session as the next step in its Inquiry into the impact of the pandemic on pubs, the people that run them and the communities that use them. A report can be found here.

All-Party Parliamentary Beer Group 

The group has completed its inquiry into the impact of the pandemic on cask beer and brewers where CAMRA gave oral evidence. The group published Caskenomics with key recommendations to the government, including considering the introduction of a new draught beer duty rate. Full report here. 

Follow up work has now started. Group chair Mike Wood MP (pictured) has written to the treasury and finance ministers in the devolved governments about the report and its recommendations.  

The Campaigns Team attended a round-table video call organised by the group with environment minister Rebecca Pow MP to discuss the introduction of deposit return schemes. 

Covid restriction removal (England only)

The government confirmed the removal of remaining Covid restrictions in England on 19 July. The CAMRA comment can be found on the CAMRA website here. Additional guidance for hospitality businesses is here. 

Pubs Code changes

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) has released a formal consultation on changes to the Pubs Code arising from the review. The consultation document is here.  

Unfortunately, the consultation is limited to the areas the government identified in its report following the review. CAMRA’s response to the review is here. 

We will seek a meeting with the BEIS as part of the consultation process, and prepare a written submission. The focus will be on securing the best possible outcomes for tied tenants from the options that the government has put forward.  

Community Ownership Fund 

The government has opened the first round of bidding for the £150m Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) Community Ownership Fund announced in the Budget. Full details are here.

We have advised CAMRA branches in case there are community pub campaigns in their areas that could benefit and are considering if training sessions for volunteers and the public would be useful.  

High street plan

Alongside opening bidding for the Community Ownership Fund, the government released its Build Back Better plan to regenerate high streets. Good news for licensees includes extending temporary pavement licence provisions for another 12 months with a view to making them permanent (but this is subject to parliamentary approval). There's also a plan for a 12-month extension to the automatic conversion of on sales licences to include off sales, allowing for more takeaway revenue.  

In the week preceding the announcement, we worked with the office of Daisy Cooper MP to table a parliamentary question about an extension to the temporary pavement licence arrangements, so the announcement was very welcome.  

For commercial (not tied pub company/brewery) tenants, the government has announced plans to:  

• introduce legislation to ringfence rent debt  
• introduce a binding arbitration system where tenants and landlords can’t reach a settlement  
• a wider review of part II of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 (to be launched in autumn). 

You can view the full document here.  

SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT 

Scottish Pubs Code 

The new minister responsible for drawing up and implementing the Scottish Pubs Code, Ivan McKee MSP, is meeting stakeholders. A series of discussions and consultations are planned over the summer with the Scottish government planning to launch a formal consultation in the autumn.  

Covid and reopening 

While the whole country moving to Level 0 in July is welcome, we have responded to the disappointing news that a curfew will remain. 

SENEDD CYMRU 

Covid recovery and reopening

Most of the remaining restrictions on operating in Wales will be lifted on 7 August. Our response to the announcement is here.  

NORTHERN IRELAND ASSEMBLY  

Covid recovery and reopening 

Table service and groups-of-six people restrictions remain for indoor hospitality in Northern Ireland. There has been no indication  that the executive is considering lifting restrictions in the near future.  

Licensing reform

The Licensing and Registration of Clubs (Amendment) Bill passed its final vote in the Stormont Assembly in July and is awaiting royal assent for it to become law. Later pub opening should come into force from October, with other provisions including the scrapping of restrictions on pub hours at Easter and a new category of licence for drinks producers in early 2022.  

Our campaigning secured a provision for breweries to operate taprooms, albeit with these limited to 104 occasions per year between the hours of 4pm and 10pm. We are working with industry groups, producers, and government departments to make sure the implementation is workable and not prohibitively expensive.  

All producers will be able to open a brewery shop, run a tour and sell their own produce online when the new category of licence is introduced, even if they don’t run taprooms. 

This new law also provides for a wholesale review of the licensing system in Northern Ireland, and its impact on access to market, consumer choice and the loss of community pubs. We are working with Matthew O’Toole MLA on a campaign to make sure this review is carried out quickly and independently. 

LOCAL GOVERNMENT 

Local Planning Authorities newsletters (England only) 

The current series of newsletters will be wrapped up this month, with existing documents available in the Campaigning Resources section of the CAMRA website, and future editions sent when required. Data from the newsletter emails shows engagement was not as high as it could have been, but this has prompted branches to contact their planning authorities and signpost to CAMRA resources. 

if any CAMRA member wants campaigning advice, the team is here to help – just email campaigns@camra.org.uk