The pub trade remains in the dark over the details of next summer's smoking ban - despite claims the regulations are "close to completion".
During a meeting between the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) and the Department of Health (DoH) last Tuesday it emerged the guidelines were almost ready to go.
But it appears that the DoH is waiting until the Health Bill is give Royal Assent until publishing details of the ban.
Rob Hayward, chief executive of the BBPA, said the trade was pressing for the government not to delay on unveiling the guidelines. "We have asked for a date for implementation and details of the regulations as soon as possible," he said. "But they have to be looked at by local government officials and all sorts of other people first."
Mr Hayward said it would be better if the trade was allowed to see a draft form, even if they was a delay in finalising the details.
MPs voted for a full public smoking ban in February, with a view to it being introduced in summer 2007. Licensees are eager to have the details of the ban, especially a definition of outside areas in order to start preparing properly for its effects.
Brigid Simmonds, chief executive of Business in Sport and Leisure, also highlighted the importance of the issue during the Beer Group's inquiry into community pubs.
She questioned how pubs, which have a restriction on allowing outside drinking, would be affected by the smoking ban. Ms Simmonds said: "There are pubs restricted under the new Licensing Act - does that mean they will have to apply for a licence to allow people to smoke outside?"
However a spokeswoman for the Department of Health denied the regulations were almost finalised. "It's not the case the regulations have already been drafted," she said. "We will finalise the regulations once the bill has gone through parliament and then there will be consultation. So who knows when that's going to be?"
There are fears that anti-smoking campaigners are pushing for the ban to come in as soon as March 14 - national no smoking day.