HC Deb 15 July 1993 vol 228 cc615-6W
Mr. Wareing

To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer of 5 July,Official Report, column 35, on representations from lessees, how many of the complainants who wrote to his Department about the treatment of lessees by Inntrepreneur Estates Ltd. have been interviewed by officials of his Department.

Mr. Neil Hamilton

In response to a recent request, my officials are proposing to meet representatives of the National Association of Inntrepreneurs Lessees in the near future.

Mr. Wareing

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assurances he has received from Inntrepreneur Estates Ltd. concerning imposition of commercial full market rents on those of its tenants who remain subject to a beer tie.

Mr. Neil Hamilton

The company has told my Department that its assessment of a market rent reflects the particular circumstances of individual public houses, including whether or not they are tied.

Mr. Wareing

To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer of 12 July,Official Report, column 347–48, on Inntrepreneur's treatment of tenants, if he will list the assurances given to Ministers by Inntrepreneur Estates Ltd. in 1991 about the treatment of tenants, indicating to what extent they were confined to the introduction of procedures for long-term leases to be determined by independent arbitration where they could not be agreed with tenants.

Mr. Neil Hamilton

The assurances were given to Ministers in 1991 by all major brewers. They related to the sympathetic treatment of tenants who might have real difficulties in taking on a long-term lease, such as those nearing retirement, as well as the introduction of independent arbitration procedures.