During a parliamentary debate about fair trading, the Conservative MP for Northampton South raised concerns about the impact of increasingly dominant supermarkets on independent shops.

He said: "There appears to have been a real problem of balance between the large supermarkets and independent retailers, and between out-of-town and edge-of-town development over 30 years, which is a sizeable period.

"During that time there has been a commensurate decline in many of our community hubs, town centres and edge-of-city centres.

"It is a very complicated situation, but we must recognise there is a connection."

Mr Binley, who chairs a Conservative Party commission into the future of small shops and high streets, said the number of large stores owned by supermarkets had doubled since 2000.

He also said supermarket retail space was set to increase by another 10 per cent in the next four years, with more than half of new shops due to be opened outside town centres.

Calling for a tightening of regulations which monitor the future activity of supermarkets, he said: "Small shops are the lifeblood of local economies in many of our small communities and provide a lifeline to local residents. Their survival is vital to the well-being of the community hubs I have mentioned.

"We must ensure that out-of-town developments work with the needs of local communities, not against them."

The Westminster Hall debate was called by City of London Conservative MP Mark Field, following the publication of a Competition Commission report into the activities of the "big four" supermarkets, Tesco, Sainsburys, Morrisons and Asda.

The Government has promised to examine the concerns raised at the debate, together with the findings of the report, and publish a response before the end of July.