asked the Secretary of State for Industry, Trade and Regional Development if he will introduce legislation to give him power to assist small shopkeepers to form buying associations to enable them to get discounts comparable with those allowed to big stores and supermarkets generally; and if he will issue a leaflet to explain to them the opportunities available to them under the Resale Prices Bill.

No legislation is required to enable small shopkeepers to form buying associations. Information and advice of the kind referred to in the second part of the Question would naturally be provided by trade associations, but I will certainly consider the provision of such a leaflet as my hon. Friend suggests.

I thank my right hon. Friend for his reply. Is he aware of the tremendous service which he would be doing to the community if he could enable small shopkeepers to compete and so help their friends in the community at large?

I wish to do everything possible to encourage the sort of arrangement mentioned by my hon. Friend. During my Second Reading speech on the Resale Prices Bill I described how this was in operation in the grocery trade covering a £500 million turnover, and so naturally I should wish to encourage such arrangements.

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether he will issue a leaflet indicating which of the 150 Amendments to the Bill he intends to accept?

Mr. Gresham Cooke:

Is my right hon. Friend aware that not only in the grocery trade but in other trades there are a number of successful buying organisations so that there is not the slightest reason why retailers, should not get together and mitigate the effects of the Bill?

I agree with my hon. Friend. This is developing in other trades and should be encouraged