The government’s attempt at deregulating pubs and bars does not go far enough, argues Nigel Evans in an article that first appeared in the Parliamentary Monitor magazine.

As a vice-chairman of the all-party parliamentary beer group, I have taken a keen interest in the government’s plans to relax the licensing laws. The licensing laws badly need reforming.

Unfortunately, as we have seen discussions on these proposals progress, it has become clear that it is certainly not the deregulatory measures that it was initially presented as, but instead threatens to wrap the industry up further in red tape and regulation.

There is a fine line to tread on this issue, balancing the twin problems of antisocial behaviour and binge drinking with the desires of consumers and the industry. There is no reason why the relaxing of licensing laws cannot work as a balm to both sides of the problem – allowing local councils to make the real decisions as to which pubs and bars can do what in consultation with residents and interested parties – however, I fear that this act is simply going to end up as another Whitehall diktat, enforced from above.

The "code of good conduct" listed in the Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy was a fine start towards what this country really needs, tackling under-aged drinking and making town centres more welcoming at night, but it really was not enough, and hopes were that any relaxing of licensing laws would strengthen the resolve that was already there.

The fact that we have been promised action on this subject for two elections now and yet have to see delivery really sums up the turmoil that the mere suggestion of such changes have brought about in the government. We see the Treasury pushing the idea, the chancellor rubbing his hands together at the thought of the tax windfall coming to him, the Home Office placing regulatory clauses all over any suggestions of allowing people to regulate their own drinking schedule, and the Department of Health whinnying about binge-drinking until it is red in the face. This is not joined up government – this is not even coherent government.

In my opinion, what the industry needs to see is an act of faith by the government. Pubs, bars and clubs should be granted the freedom to choose their own opening times, guided by demand and local concerns. Whitehall should not even get a look in.

The very nature of pubs, from the ground up, needs re-thinking – moving away from cramped and anti-social places where speed and volume is the standard guide to the length of stay, and towards a mixed age, mixed purpose environment. There is nothing wrong with being able to let your hair down on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday night, but it is the mix of drinkers that made British pubs so attractive, and we need to return to that blend.

I believe that the issuing of later licenses will actually help ease the problem of binge drinking, rather than exacerbate it. Issuing the guidelines that will allow pubs that wish to stay open longer to do so will help to relieve the steadily growing drinking culture that prevails in this country at the moment.

It is rare that you will hear me say this, but we need to me more like Europe. In France, Italy, and Spain there is simply not the alienating and abusive culture of drunkenness that we are all too sadly getting used to here. Drinking is not a taboo to be broken, but an experience to be enjoyed and welcomed into by your family and friends. Bars and clubs stay open as long as is necessary, and this leads to an environment which is non-conducive to binge drinking.

Obviously a shift towards this kind of approach is not going to happen overnight, but I am not alone in the sentiment – CAMRA itself states that a relaxed approach to drinking should be encouraged, and that a new licensing regime is necessary to make this happen. Less regulation will help stop those that are currently trying to drink as much as they can up to the final bell.

As those responsible for helping to shape government policy, we should welcome other measures that move hand in hand with relaxation of licensing laws. The larger labelling of alcohols, acknowledging that over indulging is a serious problem with consequences on not just your wallet, but on your health, on your waistline, and on your social ability – I’m sure that I’m not the only one who longs for the day that bottles come with the warning, stamped in black, that "consumption of alcohol may lead you to think people are laughing with you".

As a Conservative, I like to see less red tape, and more competition. Everyone benefits, – from the companies themselves, forced into innovation, to the consumers, with aggressive pricing and wider variety of goods on offer. It is for this reason that I am optimistic about the relaxation of the licensing laws. The government still has time to act coherently on the issue – people that I speak to in the industry all want one thing – let’s see if the government can deliver it – less red tape.

Nigel Evans is Conservative MP for Ribble Valley and vice chairman of the all-party parliamentary beer group