STEVENSON CALLS FOR ACTION TO SAFEGUARD RURAL SHOPS

Banff and Buchan MSP Stewart Stevenson has given his backing to a Parliamentary Motion expressing alarm at proposals being considered by the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) which will potentially affect local newsagents.

Commenting on the issue, Mr Stevenson said:

“The proposals of the OFT to deregulate the system of wholesale distribution of newspapers and magazines could jeopardise the guaranteed distribution of publications to rural retailers and this is definitely not something that we want to see happening. Some 14 million newspapers and thousands of individual magazine titles are delivered each day to 54,000 retail outlets, however remote, with the same cover price.

“I have to say that it is a concern that the OFT and the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry are considering the United Kingdom becoming the first country in the European Union to introduce an entirely free market with no obligation to supply smaller retailers in rural, remote and socially-excluded areas. Such a free market would almost certainly put at risk a large proportion of Scotland’s 6,000 newspaper and magazine retailers with numerous retailers.

“I believe that the Scottish Executive should make representations to the OFT without delay to guarantee consumers continuing access to a wide range of reasonably priced publications and diminish the threat of closure to rural village shops, especially in the rural areas of Scotland. Hopefully this will ensure that the existing tried-and-tested supply chain is retained.”