CHRISTMAS DAY

Early day motion 327, tabled 17 December 2003 by Lord Beamish (Labour). Signed by 222 members.

That this House cherishes Christmas Day as a special day, particularly for families and children, and welcomes the campaign by USDAW, the shop workers' union, on behalf of 2.6 million shop workers of the United Kingdom; regrets that many shops remain open on Christmas Day because employers put undue pressure on shop workers to abandon their family responsibilities on this important religious and public holiday; notes that the vast majority of shop workers are parents who should be able to spend Christmas with their children; also notes that current law offers no protection to such workers when Christmas Day does not fall on a Sunday; further notes that Christmas is an extremely busy and stressful period for shop workers and believes that they deserve at least one day off; and calls on the Government to protect shop workers on Christmas Day.

Signatures by party: Labour 164, Liberal Democrat 25, Labour/Co-operative 16, Conservative 10, DUP 3, Plaid Cymru 2, Scottish National Party 1, UUP 1.