People running small shops in Oxfordshire are being asked to identify the red tape that makes it hard for them to compete against bigger stores.

The Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which includes the Oxfordshire Chamber, is highlighting the issue as part of its campaign against Whitehall bureaucracy.

The chamber has been asked by the Government's Better Regulation Taskforce to contribute to a study of the issue and wants small shopkeepers to get in touch.

The taskforce wants to find out whether there are regulations that put small shopkeepers at a competitive disadvantage to supermarkets and larger chains, and whether the burden of duties can be reduced while maintaining necessary safeguards.

It is asking for views on how planning decisions, including parking provision, affect small shops, and aside from payroll, weights and measures and labelling, what other regulations small shopkeepers find particularly burdensome.

Chamber president Jean Charmak said: "The chamber is keen to support the small business sector that forms a vital part of our economy and is a significant employer.'