Appointment Of The First Pubs Adjudicator

EDM number 1269 in 2015-16, proposed by Greg Mulholland on 16/03/2016.
Categorised under the topics of Companies, Leisure, Regulation and Service industries.

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.

This motion has been signed by a total of 7 MPs.