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Proceeding contribution from Malcolm Wicks (Labour) in the House of Commons on Wednesday, 7 December 2005. It occurred during Adjournment debate on Supermarket Regulator.


Supermarket Regulator

Of course, I understand that. We all want that balance in our lives. However, I remember the debate about small post offices, which still rages. I heard a story from an hon. Gentleman who campaigned for a post office to be kept open and was told by the postmaster that some 6,000 people had signed the petition to keep it open. When he asked how many regular customers he had, the answer was 200. We must practise what we preach. There are many excellent small stores selling a range of goods—for example, cheese shops, many of which, unlike the one in the John Cleese sketch, have cheese. We need to get the balance right between the small shops and a sensible approach to the Tesco’s, Sainsbury’s and Co-op’s of this world. It is not for Government Ministers to decide if action is necessary, given that a well-established, independent and rigorous competition framework is in place to consider the questions raised by my hon. Friends.


Secondary information

Type
Proceeding contribution
Reference
440 c972 
Session
2005-06
Chamber / Committee
House of Commons chamber
Subjects
Contracts Companies Competition Finance Food Farmers Food supply Manufacturing industries Planning Small businesses Regulation Shops Retail trade Supermarkets Tesco Distributive trade
Link
View this Proceeding contribution on www.publications.parliament.uk