§ 28. Mr. Sorensenasked the President of the Board of Trade approximately the number of single shops opened-up in England and Wales since the end of the war; how many of these have failed; how the present total number of these shops compares with the 1938 figure; and the aggregate number who are engaged in shop-keeping and assistance.
§ Mr. H. WilsonControl over the opening of new shops is now confined to the food trades. Information about the total number of shops opened since the end of the war and the number of these which have failed is not, therefore, available, but from 16th August, 1945, to 15th October, 1947, 37,164 licences were 1853 issued in England and Wales to sell food by retail, and 11,822 licences were revoked, giving a net increase of 25,342. These figures include a number of licence holders not operating from shop premises. Particulars of the total number of shops operating in England and Wales, and of the number of persons engaged in shopkeeping, will not be known until the results of the first National Census of Distribution, which is planned for 1950, are available.