Pub hygiene ratings roll-out
Councils could be forced to adopt the scheme that lets the public see food hygiene ratings of pubs - and pubs may have to display the results.
The Government has said it will adopt the recommendation from Lord Young to make the scheme mandatory for councils, and examine whether displaying the scores at venues should also be compulsory.
Attempts at a national standardised Food Hygiene Rating Scheme, led by the Food Standards Agency (FSA), went live on 1 October.
It sees councils publishing hygiene scores for food businesses on-line on a scale of zero to five.
The national scheme is based on Scores on the Doors, but aims to be clearer and more consistent. Scores of councils have got involved so far, including all 22 in Wales.
Young's new report Common Sense, Common Safety wants council participation in the scheme to be mandatory.
It wants results published online in an "open and standardised way".
The report calls for the voluntary display of ratings by venues to be "encouraged", with take-up reviewed after 12 months.
"And, if necessary, make display compulsory - particularly for those businesses that fail to achieve a 'generally satisfactory' rating."
It also calls for "harnessing the power and influence of local and national media" to publicise the scheme.
A statement from the Prime Minister's Office said "the PM and the Cabinet have accepted all of the recommendations" and Young "will continue to work across departments to ensure his recommendations are carried through".
But British Hospitality Association deputy chief executive Martin Couchman predicted problems because several versions of the scheme currently operate, despite the launch of the FSA's version.
In Scotland, for example, a simple pass and fail is used. Others regions still use star ratings, some with five as the top grade and some with three.
He also said that fresh legislation would be needed to make the scheme mandatory.
Couchman added: "Why should it be compulsory to display on the door when the public don't understand it?"
