SUNDAY TRADING HOURS

Early day motion 1085, tabled 22 November 2005 by Brian Jenkins (Labour). Signed by 294 members.

That this House cherishes the importance of Sundays as a collective day of rest and worship and as a day for families to spend together; believes that deregulation of Sunday trading would have a detrimental impact on Britain's 2.7 million shopworkers, on the police, security, banking, distribution, transport, health and catering staff who also have to work when shops are open, on the children and families of all these staff and on the communities around large stores which already suffer congestion and noise for six and a half days a week; welcomes the NOP poll that shows that 62 per cent. of the public do not want any extension of the current six hours of Sunday opening by large stores; agrees with the public that 150 hours per week is enough for anyone to do their shopping; and believes that any extension of Sunday trading hours of large stores would have a serious impact on neighbourhood and community stores and would lead to job losses in this sector and a deterioration in local services.

Signatures by party: Labour 181, Conservative 59, Liberal Democrat 36, DUP 7, Plaid Cymru 3, Social Democratic and Labour Party 3, Scottish National Party 2, Independent 1, Respect 1, UUP 1.