§ 24. Mr. GOLDIEasked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that the sale of safety-razor blades at chemists' shops in Central London is prohibited on Saturday afternoons whilst the sale of toothbrushes is permitted; and whether he will introduce amending legislation in the interests of retail shopkeepers and the public generally?
§ Sir H. SAMUELShops are required by the Shops Act, 1912, to close for a weekly half-holiday, but an exemption is provided for the sale of medicines and medical and surgical appliances, and I understand that, though there has been no legal decision, the chemists in Central London treat toothbrushes as covered by this exemption. Wherever there is legislation dealing with such a matter as a weekly half-holiday for shops, some special exceptions must be permitted, and wherever there are exceptions there must be border-line cases. Any amending legislation would involve either the sur- 2032 render of the half-holiday or else borderline cases of a different character but presenting similar anomalies.