Sainsbury and Asda Merger
Debate between Andrew Griffiths and Chris Skidmore(6 years, 7 months ago)
Commons ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Urgent Questions are proposed each morning by backbench MPs, and up to two may be selected each day by the Speaker. Chosen Urgent Questions are announced 30 minutes before Parliament sits each day.
Each Urgent Question requires a Government Minister to give a response on the debate topic.
This information is provided by Parallel Parliament and does not comprise part of the offical record
Chris Skidmore (Kingswood) (Con)
Asda in Longwell Green and Sainsbury’s in Emersons Green have been huge economic success stories in recent years, taking on hundreds of extra jobs since 2010 without Government interference. Will the Minister confirm that it is not the Government’s duty to be heavy-handed about the business interests of companies, but instead to create the right economic climate that will create jobs for the future?
Andrew Griffiths
My hon. Friend is absolutely right: we want these businesses to grow and thrive. We want a dynamic retail sector. That is why, just last month, I established the Retail Sector Council to bring together the major players in the retail industry to ensure that the Government are creating exactly the conditions that he highlights, to allow these businesses to grow and prosper. But as I said, look at the facts: the combined company will employ some 330,000 people. We as a Government want to encourage those jobs—not to get in the way and prevent them.
Oral Answers to Questions
Debate between Andrew Griffiths and Chris Skidmore(12 years, 3 months ago)
Commons ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text
Chris Skidmore (Kingswood) (Con)
3. What plans he has to increase the powers of local authorities to tackle unauthorised development.
Andrew Griffiths (Burton) (Con)
19. What plans he has to increase the powers of local authorities to tackle unauthorised development.