Pint of order as MP is made minister for pubs

But the Labour MP for Wentworth, near Rotherham, has a serious task ahead of him, supporting pubs threatened with closing down because of the recession.

The economic downturn saw a record 2,365 pubs close their doors last year – an average of about 40 a week. This, in turn, has cost the Treasury 250m this year in lost tax revenue.

Pub groups have also blamed the smoking ban for the demise of many locals as well competition from supermarkets offering low-priced alcohol.

As part of his new role Mr Healey, 49, will attend Cabinet meetings and head a task force of five Ministers.

His job will involve helping the country's 53,000 pubs to survive the recession by by becoming centres of the villages and neighbourhoods they serve.

The MP, who is also Housing and Planning Minister, is expected to introduce business tax breaks and relax planning laws to allow local pubs to provide extra services.

He is also set to consider giving tenants the right to buy closure-threatened pubs from breweries and make it harder to demolish long-established pubs.

Mr Healey, who confirmed his appointment yesterday, will have his first meeting with his new team today.

Brigid Simmons, chief executive of the British Beer and Pub Association, said: "The UK may be heading out of recession, but times remain very tough for pubs."

The MP, from Rawmarsh, has been a long-standing supporter for local pubs. During last year's Proud of Pubs Week he called in at one of his local pubs – the Rockingham Arms in Wentworth – pulling a glass of Wentworth Brewery's WPA.

Then, he said: "I make a point of supporting Proud of Pubs Week every year to highlight the important place pubs have in their local communities."