§ 47. Mr. MILLSasked the Prime Minister whether, in view of the continued protests of British employers against the continuance of certain holidays which vary in date each year and because of the continued appeal of British organisations of workers that 1st May be substituted as one of the alternative holidays of a fixed date, he will consider this fixation of a national holiday at the earliest moment possible?
§ The PRIME MINISTERIt would be impracticable to make the Easter or Wrhitsun holidays, which are the only movable holidays, coincide with the 1st May, and a proposal to abolish Easter Monday or Whit Monday as a Bank Holiday and substitute the 1st May, would not, it is thought, commend itself to public opinion.
§ Mr. MILLSIs the Prime Minister aware that practically every Chamber of Trade and Commerce in the country is fed up with this continued interference with business at irregular periods, and that the fixation of a static day would give satisfaction to all classes of the community?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThere is such a thing as a permanent calendar, and think that during the rest of our lifetime we can mark in our diaries exactly when Easter and Whitsuntide will be.