MPs debated pubs and planning legislation
12 February 2015
On Thursday 12 February, MPs took part in a debate on a motion relating to pubs and planning legislation. This debate was scheduled by the Backbench Business Committee following a bid from Greg Mulholland, Liberal Democrat MP for Leeds North West, Charlotte Leslie, Conservative MP for Bristol North West, and Grahame M. Morris, Labour MP for Easington.
Watch the debate and read the transcript
The debate was opened by Charlotte Leslie. Shadow Communities and Local Government Minister, Roberta Blackman-Woods, responded to the debate for the Opposition. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Stephen Williams, replied for the Government.
- Watch Parliament TV: MPs debate pubs and planning legislation, 12 February
- Read Commons Hansard: MPs debate pubs and planning legislation, 12 February
Text of the Motion
MPs debated the following motion in the names of Greg Mulholland, Charlotte Leslie and Grahame M. Morris:
"That this House believes that pubs play a vital role in promoting community spirit; notes that research shows that pubs are the most popular public location for people to meet and get together with others in their neighbourhood; further notes that pubs in England are poorly protected by planning rules which enable a pub to be converted to a supermarket and other retail uses, and even demolished, without any need for planning permission; also notes that two pubs a week are converted into supermarket convenience stores; also notes that Assets of Community Value fail to deliver protection to valued pubs and that councils are reluctant to use Article Four Directions to protect pubs due to the administrative cost and compensation liability; and calls on the Government to amend planning regulations so that a full planning application is required before a pub can be demolished or converted into any other use."
Backbench Business Committee
The Backbench Business Committee meets weekly on Tuesdays at 1pm to consider requests for debates from any backbench Members of Parliament on any subject, including those raised in e-petitions or national campaigns.
An MP must make a representation before the Committee for an e-petition or petition to be debated; e-petitions exceeding the Government's 100,000 signature threshold are not automatically allocated backbench time.
The Committee then has to decide how to allocate the limited Parliamentary time it has at its disposal. The Committee's meetings are always conducted in public and can be watched on Parliament TV.