69. Major WHITEasked the Home Secretary whether, in view of the state of the law with regard to Sunday trading, he will reconsider the Report of the Joint Select Committee on Sunday Trading appointed in 1906, or will recommend the appointment of a Select Committee to deal with the doubts and difficulties in its administration still existing?
§ Mr. McKENNAThe Government made an attempt in 1911 to deal with the question of Sunday closing on the lines recommended by the Joint Select Committee of 1906, but the proposals encountered considerable opposition, and no solution was found which was generally acceptable. I am aware of the strong feeling in favour of some measure of Sunday closing among a large section of the traders of the country, and I should be glad if a satisfactory solution could be found, but I am afraid there is no prospect of the Government being able to take the matter up again at present, and I am not satisfied that the appointment of another Select Committee now would be likely to advance the question.