§ Mr. David Mitchellasked the Secretary of State for Trade what percentage of small business men sit on the statutory Census of Distribution Advisory 712W Committee; and what percentage of retail trade is carried out by small businesses.
§ Mr. MeacherThe 15 non-official members of the Distribution Statistics Advisory Committee, the successor to the Census of Distribution Advisory Committee, represent retailers, wholesalers and users of distribution statistics. Five members have been sponsored by organisations with substantial numbers of small retailers. Taking a small business in retailing as one with an annual turnover of £ 50,000 or less, as in the report of the Bolton Committee, such businesses accounted for just over 30 per cent. of retail trade in 1971, the latest year for which figures are currently available.