Statutory code: BBPA claims Government online survey is "deeply flawed"

In a report for the BBPA by leading market research firm ComRes, which was use in its submission, it “called into question the validity of any findings drawn form the results and therefore any conclusions drawn.”

The BBPA has written to the head of the Civil Service to question the validity of the results and requesting that they be disregarded as an objective way of assessing licensees’ views.

The ComRes report said: “The opening paragraph of the survey presents a clear and one sided argument that the status quo is unsatisfactory and unsustainable and that the Government’s intentions in introducing a statutory code and independent adjudicator are positive.”

It accused the Government survey of asking leading questions that invite the respondent to answer in a particular way. It said that in many instances the case for a certain course of action was made forcibly and the respondent was then asked whether they support the course of action.

It was critical of the questions claiming that in the majority of cases respondents do not have the option to indicate they ‘don’t know’ or have ‘no preference’ for a particular course of action. 

ComRes said that leading statements are in direct contradiction to the Market Research Society Code of Practice.

ComRes concluded that: “a sufficient number of concerns have been raised to call into question the validity any findings drawn from the results and therefore any conclusions drawn for the Government consultation on the relationship between pub companies and tenants.”

Senior researchers at ComRes conducted an indepth review of the survey between 20 May to 31 May 2013.