45. Mr. De la B¸reasked the Prime Minister whether he will find time for a Debate on the Motion standing in the name of the hon. Member for Evesham relating to the limitation of chain stores?
§ [That this House sympathises with the difficulties experienced by the small retail shopkeepers prior to the outbreak of hostilities, and additionally increased as a result of the. war; is of opinion that the small shopkeepers form a valuable and constitutional support to the country, both in times of peace and war; urges on the Government the introduction of legislation to protect and assist these people by licensing the chain stores throughout the country, by restricting the number of branches in each locality, and the variety of articles sold by the existing branches to the public to those articles which they were selling prior to the outbreak of war; realises that the interests of the middle classes and tradesmen are insufficiently represented in the House of Commons; believes that had this representation been adequate a limitation would have been imposed on chain store undertakings of every kind in the interests of the middle class traders and producers before this; and is of opinion that the problem will become more acute.]
§ The Lord President of the Council (Sir John Anderson)My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister regrets that it is not possible to provide a special opportunity for a Debate on the Motion standing in the name of my hon. Friend. An opportunity will no doubt present itself for a discussion on this subject at a later date.
Mr. De la B¸reWould my right hon. Friend assure the House that he appreciates the urgent need that the situation should be dealt with speedily, in view of the fact that the livelihood of over 1,000,000 small shopkeepers is at stake?
§ Sir J. AndersonI cannot help thinking that the importance of the small shopkeeper in the economy of our social structure is pretty well recognised. There will be an opportunity at no distant date to debate this matter.