PUB companies have been told to offer better deals to licensees or face statutory controls.

MPs yesterday discussed the idea of a statutory code of practice relating to pub companies and their licensees.

They were looking at proposals which mean landlords could be free of some regulations, including the tie-in many have with pub companies who charge inflated prices for beer barrels.

Colne Valley MP Jason McCartney spoke in Parliament about two Honley locals – The Allied and the recently closed Coach and Horses.

Mr McCartney said afterwards: “I was pleased to speak in the backbench debate in support of my local pubs. The Allied is still going with a new landlord but the Coach and Horses has closed but will be the new home to the Balooshai Restaurant.

“The motion to review self-regulation of pub companies by this autumn was passed.”

The Conservative MP said it was about time pub landlords got a better deal from pub companies.

Mr McCartney added: “I spoke to one landlord who said he could save £110 on the market price of a barrel but he was tied in to a pub company.

“Many landlords are making £15,000 a year despite the long and antisocial hours they put in. “If these pub companies don’t come back with a firm commitment then we’ll look at a Statutory Code.”

The motion, unanimously backed by MPs, called on the Government to commission a review of self-regulation of the pub industry in the autumn of 2012 to be conducted by an independent body approved by the Business, Innovation and Skills Committee.

During the debate one MP described the current code of practice as “heavily weighted in favour of the pub company”.

The MPs’ steps were described as a “liberation of licensees”.