§ Mr. Peter Bruinvelsasked the Prime Minister how many representations she has received (a) before and (b) after the publication of the Shops Bill [Lords]; if she will break them down (i) for and (ii) against giving the names of the major retail stores concerned and the nature of their representations; and if she will make a statement.
§ Mr. WaddingtonI have been asked to reply.
Since the report of the Auld committee was debated in this House the Government have received 29,029 representations; 10,002 were received prior to, and 19,027 subsequent to, the publication of the Shops Bill [Lords]. Seventy-one have been in favour of, and 28,958 opposed to, the Government's proposals.
During this period, meetings have been held with or letters received from the following major stores:
For
- Briggs Boot Stores
- Notcutts Garden Centres Limited
- William Strike Limited
- Cramphorn plc
- Asda
- B & Q Retail Limited
- Woolworth holdings
- Habitat/Mothercare plc
- W H Smith
- Harris Queensway
- Texas Homecare Ltd
- RMC Homecare Ltd
- Sharpe and Fisher plc
- Paul Madeley Ltd
- Homebase Ltd
- Stylo Barratt Shoes Ltd
- Tesco plc
Against
- Marments Ltd
- Milwards and Sons Ltd
- Safeway Food Stores Limited
- Co-operative Union Ltd
- Sears plc
- James Beattie plc
- Benson Shoe Ltd
- West Midlands Co-operative Society Ltd
- William McIlroy Ltd