§ Mr. Adleyasked the Secretary of State for Trade what has been the total number of self-service stores, for each of the last 10 years.
§ Mr. MeacherOfficial estimates of the number of self-service shops are available only for years when a census of distribution was held. The most recent censuses were in respect of 1966 and 1971. It is now estimated that the number of self-service shops in Great Britain was 31,495 in 1971; the number in 1966 was 20,254.