HC Deb 25 June 2003 vol 407 cc805-6W
Mr. Peter Duncan

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans she has to seek an investigation by the Office of Fair Trading into the market behaviour of supermarkets in non-food retail sectors. [119350]

Ms Hewitt

None. The OFT is of course free to establish its own enquiry if it has cause for concern.

Mr. Peter Duncan

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what her estimate is of market share held by supermarkets in the non-food retail sector. [119351]

Ms Hewitt

The Department has not carried out an assessment of the share of the non-food retailing market held by the supermarkets.

Mr. Peter Duncan

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent representations she has received from retail trade bodies on market behaviour of supermarkets in non-food sectors. [119352]

Ms Hewitt

I have received no recent representations from retail trade bodies commenting specifically on the market behaviour of supermarkets in non-food sectors. But submissions received from such bodies regarding the Office of Fair Trading's report on the control of entry regulations and retail pharmacy services in the UK have speculated on the possible market behaviour of supermarkets should the OFT's deregulatory proposals be implemented.