SMALL SHOPS IN LONDON

That this House recognises the important role small retailers play in communities in London and how they are vital in keeping local high streets successful and diverse; notes that at present small retailers account for 87 per cent. of all retailers in London, but that they have been hit hard by changes in shoppers' behaviour, large supermarkets and the recession; welcomes the Greater London Authority's review into measures designed to support London's local and neighbourhood shops; urges the Government to implement measures that strengthen planning laws to take into account a wider variety of factors than is currently the case, including the use of a local competition test for new retail developments; and calls for new measures which help to create a fairer market place to allow a more balanced relationship between small and large businesses.