Queen's Speech reaction

25 May 2010

Reacting to today’s (Tuesday’s) Queen’s Speech, the British Retail Consortium (BRC) said:

National Insurance Contributions Bill

Stephen Robertson, British Retail Consortium Director General, said: “Scaling back the planned National Insurance increase is a good start – though it could go further.

“Any increase in National Insurance is a tax on jobs and undermines retailers’ ability to maintain and create employment. Raising National Insurance will hamper retailers’ ability to maximise their contribution to the recovery.”

Police Reform and Social Responsibility Bill – alcohol proposals

Stephen Robertson, British Retail Consortium Director General, said: “Irresponsible drinking is a complicated issue with deep seated cultural causes.

“Retailers are investing heavily in initiatives to tackle the problems associated with excessive alcohol consumption, such as Challenge 25, providing significant funding to Drinkaware and rolling out the Department of Health’s voluntary alcohol unit label on thousands of own brand products.

“Supermarkets have the best record of any type of outlet in preventing under-age sales. That’s not driven by the scale of the penalties. Persistent offenders already face tough sanctions with the threat of losing their licence being the ultimate price to pay. We don’t need even more legislation. What we need is effective enforcement of the current laws, including those aimed at under-18s trying to buy alcohol.

“Charging more for late-night licences sends the wrong message – it says individuals need not take any personal responsibility for their actions. That’s because retailers and responsible customers will be made to pay for the irresponsible behaviour caused by a small minority.

“Below cost selling is simply not the widespread practice portrayed and defining it is a complex issue. If the Government is determined to pursue legislation we would want to ensure it applies sensibly and bears in mind the impact on the vast majority of consumers who buy and drink alcohol responsibly.

“Competition law prevents retailers discussing their pricing and promotions with each other. Should the Government want to pursue changes to the pricing of alcohol, we’re happy to discuss this with politicians, but they must provide a safe environment in which this can happen.”

Office for Budget Responsibility Bill

Stephen Robertson, British Retail Consortium Director General, said: “We welcome the creation of an independent body to provide forecasts for economic growth and borrowing. This should give greater trust in the projections for the nation’s finances and boost confidence in the Government’s plans to effectively deal with current economic difficulties.”

Decentralisation and Localism Bill

Stephen Robertson, British Retail Consortium Director General, said: “We look forward to examining the details of this legislation. Retail has the broadest possible geographical base and taking a more localised approach to decision making could be appropriate in many cases. But there need to be safeguards to ensure the localism approach doesn’t undermine national businesses. Coping with hundreds of different regulatory regimes across the country could impose unnecessary costs and uncertainty.”

non-legislative Item - flexible working

Stephen Robertson, British Retail Consortium Director General, said: “Flexible working is ingrained in retailing. While current legislation only applies to parents, flexible working in our sector has generally gone well beyond this. Shop workers are more likely to be able to choose hours that suit them in retail than employees in most other sectors – a real benefit to carers, students and people whose religions require specific time off. Retailers’ approach to flexible working has enabled the sector to really embrace diversity and create a supportive environment for all staff.

“We look forward to working with the new Government on this important issue.”