Committee agrees market inquiry

Anne Main has welcomed the fact that the Communities and Local Government Committee, on which she serves, has taken up her suggestion to conduct an inquiry into the role and future of markets when Parliament returns in the New Year.

Anne Main, MP for St Albans, has welcomed the fact that the Communities and Local Government Committee, on which she serves, has taken up her suggestion to conduct an inquiry into the role and future of markets when Parliament returns in the New Year. Committee members put forward suggestions for topics for short inquiries and Anne's suggestion of an inquiry into markets won the vote.

At the inquiry a range of interested parties will give evidence to the committee of MPs, who will investigate the challenges facing local markets and then issue a report on the subject.

Anne said:

"Many community markets across the country are struggling in the face of one-stop supermarket shopping and the changing economic climate. I felt that it was absolutely essential that we explored the pressures that markets and market traders face, and look at what local authorities can do to ensure we retain our vibrant and diverse markets and examine what they contribute to local communities.

St Albans Market is one of the unique selling points of our city, and has survived for hundreds of years due to the support of local people. However, it is important that we learn lessons from our successful markets to ensure that we preserve them for future generations. We must also gather evidence which will help us understand how we can help our markets thrive and move forward into the future.

This is why specialised inquiries like this are so valuable. I look forward to hearing the evidence submitted to the committee from as many areas as possible and I have written to the Markets Manager at St Albans District Council to encourage him and stall-holders to participate. But, any interested parties who would like to know how to submit evidence can either contact my office for more information or visit the Committee's page on the Parliament website."

BACKGROUND

Link to Parliament's site with information on how to give evidence to the Communities and Local Government Committee

Copy of Communities and Local Government Committee Press Notice:

Select Committee Announcement

House of Commons London SW1P 3JA

Tel 020 7219 4972 Fax 020 7219 6101 Email clgcom@parliament.uk Website www.parliament.uk

New Inquiry and Call for Evidence

Traditional Retail Markets

The Communities and Local Government Committee has decided to launch an inquiry into traditional retail markets. The inquiry will consider covered and uncovered markets, including specialist markets (e.g. farmers markets) serving local people in English urban and rural towns and cities. Car-boot sales and markets whose customers are predominantly other professional traders are outside the scope of this inquiry.

The Committee's inquiry will focus on the following questions:

Traditional retail markets today

• How has the picture changed over the last 10 years?
• Are the number and types of markets in decline? If so, why?
• Are there obstacles preventing the creation of more markets?
• Are there obstacles hindering the successful business of existing market operators and traders?
• What has been the impact of specialist markets e.g. continental and farmers markets, and do such markets integrate successfully with older markets?

Their Social and Economic effects

• What social and economic effects do traditional retail markets have on their local communities?
• What qualities contribute to a successful market delivering social and economic benefits, and are there examples of best practice that have a wider application?

Realising the potential of traditional retail markets

• Does local government support markets effectively?
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of local authorities having powers to operate markets?
• Does central government support markets effectively? If not, what additional support should be provided?
• Could central government make better use of markets to achieve national goals, particularly with regard to social cohesion, health and regeneration?

Planning and licensing issues

• Do local and national planning regulations support or hinder the development of markets?
• Do licensing regulations support or hinder the development of markets?
• What improvements could be made to the planning and licensing regimes to aid the development of markets?

The Committee invites interested individuals and organisations to submit written memoranda addressing these topics by 19 January 09. Those doing so should feel free to include any relevant information that they would like to draw to the Committee's attention. Two or three oral sessions will be held in March/April 2009.

Guidelines on submitting evidence

Each submission should:

• Be accompanied by a covering letter containing the name and contact details of the individual or organisation submitting evidence.
• Begin with a short summary in bullet point form; and
• Have numbered paragraphs.

Ideally, submissions should be sent in electronic form, preferably in MS Word format, and sent by email to clgev@parliament.uk and marked 'Local Authority Investments'. If you are unable to send an electronic version, please send a paper copy to:

Nicola McCoy
Committee Secretary
Communities and Local Government Committee
House of Commons
7 Millbank
London
SW1P 3JA

It is helpful, for Data Protection purposes, for contact details not to be included in the text of submissions, but sent separately in a covering letter. You should be aware that there may be circumstances in which the House of Commons will be required to communicate information to third parties on request, in order to comply with its obligations under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

A guide for written submissions to Select Committees may be found on the parliamentary website at: http://www.parliament.uk/commons/selcom/witguide.htm

Please also note that:

• Material already published elsewhere should not form the basis of a submission, but may be referred to within a proposed memorandum, in which case a hard copy of the published work may be included.
• Memoranda submitted should be kept confidential until published by the Committee, unless specifically authorised. Authorisation to publish your submission, which is normally granted, should be sought from the Inquiry Manager.
• Once submitted, evidence is the property of the Committee. The Committee normally, though not always, chooses to make public the written evidence it receives, by publishing it on the internet (where it will be searchable), by printing it or making it available through the Parliamentary Record Office. If there is any information you believe to be sensitive you should highlight it and explain what harm you believe would result from its disclosure. The Committee will take this into account in deciding whether to publish or further disclose the evidence.

Photo: nne shopping in St Albans market"