A NORTH Yorkshire MP has raised the plight of local pubs on the floor of the House of Commons.

Speaking during questions to the Secretary of State for business, innovation and skills, Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Andrew Jones urged working across Government departments to give people a say on the future of local pubs.

Mr Jones urged Vince Cable to work with Eric Pickles, Secretary of State for communities and local government, to look at ways of protecting pubs from conversion to other uses so that local people would be able to have a say on any proposals.

Mr Jones said: “In some areas we have seen pubs converted to supermarkets without local people having a say because the changes to the building don’t fall within the scope of planning rules. This can’t be right.”