OFFICE OF FAIR TRADING REPORT INTO THE BEER TIE

That this House disagrees with the conclusion of the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) that the beer ties enforced by pub owners is not harming the industry and pushing up prices to the consumer; notes that amongst other social, economic and taxation factors the regulation and structure of the pub market is one of the reasons why 36 pubs a week have been closing; believes that the beer tie restricts competition and provides pub owners with a monopoly supply chain which they have exploited to increase profits and prices; and therefore calls on the Government to reject the conclusions of the OFT and to ensure that the pub market works within competition law so that landlords and consumers get a better deal.