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Mission for Markets

3 Introduction— Jim Fitzpatrick MP As the newly-elected Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Markets Group I am delighted to recommend this report to you as a piece of work that I am confident has been thoroughly researched by the two main players in the industry, NABMA and the NMTF. It would be remiss of me not to thank, on behalf of the industry, my predecessor Ann Coffey for all the hard work she has carried out over a good number of years. But things move on and I believe that now, more than ever, the markets industry needs to be able to fully flex its collective muscle in an effort to get the Government to see sense on a number of issues contained in this strategic document, not least those of business rate relief, the problem with pedlars and illegal street traders, and the interpretation and imposition of the European Services Directive. My role as Chair of the APPMG will be to understand the problems of the industry and act as a conduit to engage in a meaningful discussion with the appropriate Government departments. To that end I believe this publication, and the included Markets Manifesto, will prove to be invaluable. Whilst it is not short of criticism on certain aspects of how the industry is treated by both national and local government, the document also describes what needs to be done internally, through traders developing new skills and market management improving performance. Although I am a new Chair I am no stranger to markets, which I believe are vital not only economically but also, in many areas, to meet a great social need. Over the coming years I look forward to working with the industry’s representatives to ensure it has the bright future that it surely deserves. Jim Fitzpatrick MP Chair, All-Party Parliamentary Markets Group


Mission for Markets
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