Early day motion tabled by primary sponsor Jim Dowd (Labour), on Tuesday, 7 December 2004, in the House of Commons. It is signed by 95 members in total.

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NEWSPAPER AND MAGAZINE SUPPLY CHAIN

That this House views with alarm the application for a block exemption for newspaper and magazine publishers and wholesalers that would replace the Vertical Agreement (Exclusion) Order when it is repealed in May 2005, thus preserving a restrictive, inefficient and secretive monopoly supply chain that is not in the interests of consumers and which perpetuates the exploitation of independent news retailers, putting more of them out of business, thus resulting in even larger areas of the UK with no access to specialist titles or home news delivery; and urges the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry to resist pressure from powerful media interests and reject the application for a block exemption and to require all parties in the newspaper and magazine industry to take careful note of the constructive and responsible proposals for change made by the National Federation of Retail Newsagents that would modernise the industry throughout the UK, create a vibrant independent retail network, improve services to consumers and sustain access to newspapers and magazines in local communities through compliance with UK and EU competition legislation.

Amendments

The Early day motion has received an amendment.

NEWSPAPER AND MAGAZINE SUPPLY CHAIN (332A1)

The Early day motion has received an amendment sponsored by Lord Cotter (primary, Liberal Democrat) and tabled on Tuesday, 18 January 2005. It has been signed by 6 members in total.

Line 14, at end add 'further notes that all sides of the industry have expressed their desire to safeguard the future of independent news retailers and a universal service within the newspaper distribution system; expresses concern at the lack of industry agreement about how to achieve this; and therefore urges the Government to take responsibility for ensuring that consensus is reached before the deadline of 1st May.'.

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Secondary information

Type

Early day motion

Reference

332 

332A1 

Session

2004-05

Subjects

Competition Newspaper press Magazine press

Link

View this Early day motion on www.parliament.uk