Grocery sector inquiry is a failure, says FSB

The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) said that small, independent shops have been let down by the Competition Commission in its inquiry into the grocery sector.

Despite a committee of MPs estimating that 2,000 small shops are going out of business each year, the FSB said that the Competition Commission had failed to come up with any remedies that would halt the decline. Throughout the two-year investigation the FSB has been dismayed that the Competition Commission failed to consider the impact of supermarkets on independent retailing.

In response the FSB set up its wide-ranging Keep Trade Local campaign to highlight issues that the Competition Commission failed to address. The campaign also aims to raise awareness of the value that small, independent retailers provide to consumers. This includes local products, more personal service and speciality goods not available in supermarkets.

Clive Davenport, FSB Trade & Industry Chairman, said: “During the course of three investigations in seven years the Competition Commission has consistently failed to understand the value to consumers of small independent shops. This latest inquiry has again missed the point.

“The remit of this inquiry was far too narrow. Supermarkets are forcing small shops out of business in many areas of retailing, not just groceries. Important issues such as the travesty of almost limitless free parking at out of town superstores while independent high street shops face ever-more stringent parking restrictions were not even considered.

“People up and down the country can see that we are losing our small shops, but this report does little to solve the problem. We are in danger of sleepwalking into the death of our high streets. The FSB has been left with no alternative but to campaign across the country and raise political awareness. It is now up to our elected representatives to step in and prevent disaster.”

NEWI at forefront of Welsh science policy says AM

The role of a research centre based at NEWI in Wrexham, in successfully securing a £1.6 million research grant, has been raised in the Welsh Assembly by the town’s AM.

Wrexham Assembly Member, Lesley Griffiths made her remarks in a Question to the First Minister, Rhodri Morgan on the Government’s science policy.

Ms. Griffiths praised the Centre for Water Soluble Polymers at NEWI, for winning £1.6 million of grant as part of a consortium involving other academic institutions and industry.

The grant is being awarded to help the drilling fluids industry address increasing pressures from legislation desinged to protect the environment. The Centre will help look for a new alternative biodegradable material, to inhibit swelling of clays in offshore oil and gas drilling operations, replacing materials currently used.

In her Question, Lesley Griffiths told the First Minister: “In its document, ‘A Science Policy for Wales 2006’, the Government clearly spelt out that higher education institutions would play a pivotal role in delivering science and innovation policy. The document also said that that should be linked to Wales’s wider economic success.

“Will you, therefore, join me in congratulating the North East Wales Institute of Higher Education in Wrexham – Wales’s latest university – on securing a £1.6 million research grant to work with industry to find an alternative, greener, biodegradable material for use in offshore oil and gas drilling operations? Does this not demonstrate perfectly how the Government’s science policy is delivering for Wales?”

In his reply, the First Minister, said: “We specified three top priority areas in which we, and our higher education institutions, should do more and more work. One of those was the low-carbon society and economy. The kind of research grant that you mentioned in NEWI would fit in with those priorities.

“I welcome the announcement of that grant, which is quite substantial by NEWI standards. Now that it has university-level ranking, we hope that its research income, and its ability to win research contracts, will grow and grow.”

Commenting after her Question, Lesley Griffiths AM said: “The news the Centre for Water Soluble Polymers had been successful in securing this large grant, is typical of the great things currently happening at NEWI.

“With this kind of research taking place, it underlines precisely why it is to become Wales’ new University.”