CAMPAIGN TO SAVE THE GREAT BRITISH PUB

Early day motion 10, tabled 3 December 2008 by Bob Russell (Liberal Democrat). Signed by 201 members.

That this House is alarmed that five public houses are closing down every day, with beer sales in pubs at their lowest level for nearly 40 years; is deeply concerned as to the future of 7,500 public houses and more than 40,000 jobs; supports the launch of a campaign to mobilise public and political support to save the Great British Pub; believes that traditional public houses are being unfairly priced out of the market while supermarkets offer cheap deals without the level of restrictions and responsibilities required of licencees of public houses; further supports the beer industry and The Campaign for Real Ale's Axe the Beer Tax, Save the Pub campaign which states that tax rises in the Pre-Budget Report, and further planned increases in tax, will place traditional public houses at even greater risk of closing down; and calls on the Government to adopt the campaign's Last Orders, a five-point plan to save the British pub, as a way forward in safeguarding the future of Britain's traditional public houses.

Signatures by party: Labour 94, Liberal Democrat 59, Conservative 34, Independent 6, Scottish National Party 4, Plaid Cymru 2, Independent Labour 1, Social Democratic and Labour Party 1.