§ Mr. David NicholsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Taunton of 24 April,Official Report, column 480, what is his estimate of the number of the 11,000 public houses required to be disposed of by major brewers which are likely to be purchased by the regional brewer; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. RedwoodThe Supply of Beer (Tied Estate) Order requires national brewers to release from ties half the pubs they own in excess of 2,000 by November 1992. Selling pubs to regional brewers is only one way of complying with this requirement available to national brewers. The industry estimates that about 2,000 of the 11,000 pubs freed from ties may be sold to regional brewers. Precise figures will be available when the Director General of Fair Trading carries out his review of the measures introduced since the Monopolies and Mergers Commission's report in late 1993.
§ Mr. David NicholsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Taunton of 24 April,Official Report, column 480, what information he has on the number of existing public house licensees who may be assisted by banks or other financial institutions to purchase or lease pubs not 37W bought by regional brewers; what measures his Department is taking to facilitate such assistance; and If he will make a statement.
§ Mr. RedwoodThe Supply of Beer (Tied Estate) Order requires brewers owning more than 2,000 pubs to release from ties half they own in excess of 2,000 by November 1992. Some 11,000 pubs are expected to be freed from ties as a result of this requirement. Pubs may be freed in a number of ways. It is not possible at this stage to estimate how many of these are likely to be purchased or leased free of ties by existing licensees. The price at which brewers sell pubs and the terms on which others are leased are matters for commercial negotiation. No special government assistance is envisaged.