ACS

ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has expressed its concerns about the implications of the Government’s decision to scrap ID cards following today’s Queen’s Speech, where the coalition has set out its legislative agenda.

ACS Chief Executive James Lowman said: “We are disappointed at the decision to scrap ID cards, which ends the prospect of a definitive, universal proof of age card. As Ministers move to end the ID culture, they must not forget the vacuum that this leaves and their obligation to support local shops in their important role on the front line of preventing underage drinking and smoking in communities.

“As an immediate priority we will be asking Ministers to support existing proof of age card schemes, specifically the PASS scheme, to show their commitment to preventing underage sales.”

Also in the speech the Queen unveiled bills to reform Policing, on energy efficiency, decentralization and national insurance.

Police Reform and Social Responsibility Bill

James Lowman said: “We are ready to work constructively with the new Government to tackle alcohol related harm, but the measures announced today could hit responsible businesses harder than problem drinkers.”.

“Progress on alcohol harm has been achieved in spite of rather than because of the wealth of new law that has been passed in the past ten years. It is unfortunate that the new Government has not looked first at the effective enforcement of existing measures rather than bring in the fourth alcohol law change since the Licensing Act was brought in only seven years ago.”

Energy Security and Green Economy Bill

James Lowman said: “We will support measures to encourage and promote energy efficiency for retail businesses and welcome these long sighted measures. But Government must intervene immediately to address the bullying and unfair tactics by their energy suppliers and ACS will be campaigning for stronger safeguards in this area to be included in the Bill.”

National Insurance Contributions Bill

James Lowman said: “Local shops can create jobs in communities; this action to prevent the increase in national insurance costs on business is the right decision.

Contacts:
Shane Brennan, Public Affairs Director
01252 533009 / 07921 372978

Chris Noice, Communications Assistant
01252 533013

Notes to Editors
1. ACS (Association of Convenience Stores) is the voice of local shops, representing over 33,500 convenience stores. ACS helps local shops thrive through lobbying, support and networking opportunities.
2. Information on the PASS card can be found at: http://www.brc.org.uk/pass/default.asp  
3. A breakdown of the details of the Bills mentioned above are as follows:

Identity Documents Bill

The Identity Documents Bill aims to put scrap the National Identity Cards and the planned National Identity Register.

Main benefits of the Bill:

• The scrapping of ID cards will result in savings of £86 million over the next four years
• The Bill will invalidate current cards within one month of it receiving Royal Assent.
• There is no provision to give compensation to those who bought ID cards.

Police Reform and Social Responsibility Bill

The purpose of this Bill is to make the Police more accountable to local people and to tackle alcohol related harm.

The main benefits of the bill are:

• Increased accountability through directly elected individuals
• Amend health and safety legislation so that it does not get in the way of commonsense Policing
• Overhauling the licensing act to give local authorities stronger powers to remove licenses from or refuse to grant licences to any premises causing problems
• Allow local councils to charge late-night licensees for late night policing
• Giving councils more powers to shut down shops that persistently sell alcohol to children
• Doubling the maximum fine for selling to children to £20,000

Energy Bill

The purpose of the Bill is to seek to improve energy efficiency and to encourage low-carbon energy production. It also sets out how Britain?s energy supplies will be made more secure.

The main benefits are

• Creating a “Green Deal? for domestic and business energy users, allowing them to take out loans to improve energy efficiency in their home and pay these off from the savings that result.
• Creation of a “smart grid” and the rolling-out of smart meters across the country will also be part of this focus on greater efficiency.
• The Bill will also seek to reform energy markets, with the aim of delivering security of supply and fair competition.

National Insurance Contributions Bill

The purpose of the Bill is to put into amend planned increase to National Insurance Contributions.

Key aspects of the Bill:

• Whilst National Insurance Contributions will rise from 6 April 2011, so too will the threshold at which NICs are paid.
• Money raised from NIC increases will fund an increase to the personal tax allowance that all employees benefit from.