HC Deb 14 February 1929 vol 225 cc525-6
15. Sir HARRY BRITTAIN

asked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that a joint confectionery and tobacco business can sell confectionery until 9.30 p.m. across the counter, but cannot sell cigarettes across the counter after 8 p.m., although customers can obtain cigarettes from the automatic machine; and whether he proposes to introduce legislation to remove such anomalies?

Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKS

The hours referred to were fixed by Parliament after full discussion only last year on the report of a committee which went thoroughly into the whole subject, and I cannot find that my hon. Friend intervened in the interests of smokers when the Bill was before Parliament. As for the use of automatic machines after the closing hour, this does not make labour and is not a breach of the law, and I cannot find that any proposal was made at any time during the passage of the Act of last Session to apply the closing provisions to these machines. As I pointed out in a recent reply to the hon. and gallant Member for Basingstoke (Sir A. Holbrooke), it is much too soon to consider amending an Act of Parliament which was passed almost unanimously last year.

Sir H. BRITTAIN

Will the right hon. Gentleman believe me when I say that when the Bill went through this House I did not realise how niggling were these restrictions?

Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKS

Of course, I believe the hon. Member, but I am not sure of his wisdom and his attention to the business of the House.

Mr. TAYLOR

Is it not a fact that these irritating anomalies were due to the right hon. Gentleman's refusal to extend the terms of reference, so that a sensible compromise could have been found?

Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKS

Not a bit. The Bill passed through the Committee stage and the Report stage, and it was open to anybody to move any Amendments they liked.

Mr. TAYLOR

Was it not proposed to extend the terms of reference so that a solution could have been sought along the lines of a 48-hours week for shop assistants?

Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKS

That is quite a different question.