HC Deb 27 July 1936 vol 315 cc1281-4

Transactions for the purposes of which a shop may be open for the serving of customers on Sunday.

  1. 1. The sale of—
    1. (a) intoxicating liquors;
    2. (b) meals or refreshments whether or not for consumption at the shop at which they are sold but not including the sale of fried fish and chips at a fried fish and chip shop;
    3. (c) newly cooked provisions and cooked or partly cooked tripe;
    4. (d) table waters, sweets, chocolates, sugar confectionery and ice-cream (including wafers and edible containers);
    5. (e) flowers, fruit and vegetables (including mushrooms) other than tinned or bottled fruit or vegetables;
    6. (f) milk and cream, not including tinned or dried milk or cream, but including clotted cream whether sold in tins or otherwise;
    7. (g) medicines and medical and surgical appliances
      1. (i) at any premises registered under Section twelve of the Pharmacy and Poisons Act, 1933; or
      2. (ii) by any person who has entered into a contract with an insurance committee under the National Health Insurance Acts, 1924 to 1935, for the supply of drugs and appliances;
    8. (h) aircraft, motor or cycle supplies, or accessories;
    9. (i) tobacco and smokers' requisities;
    10. (j) newspapers, periodicals and magazines;
      11. 1282
    11. (k) books and stationery from the bookstalls of such terminal and main line railway or omnibus stations, or at such aerodromes as may be approved by the Secretary of State;
    12. (l) guide books, postcards, photographs, reproductions, photographic films and plates, and souvenirs—
      1. (i) at any gallery, museum, garden, park or ancient monument under the control of a public authority or university; or
      2. (ii) at any other gallery or museum, or any place of natural beauty or historic interest, or any zoological, botanical or horticultural gardens, or aquarium, if and to the extent that the local authority certify that such sale is desirable in the interests of the public; or
      3. (iii) in any passenger vessel within the meaning of Part II of the Finance (1909–1910) Act, 1910, while engaged in carrying passengers;
    13. (m) photographs for passports;
    14. (n) requisites for any game or sport at any premises or place where that game or sport is played or carried on;
    15. (o) fodder for horses, mules, ponies and donkeys at any farm, stables, hotel or inn.
  2. (2) The transaction of—
    1. (a) post office business;
    2. (b) the business carried on by a funeral undertaker."

Mr. LOFTUS

I beg to move, "That this House doth agree with the Lords in the said Amendment."

Sir F. FREMANTLE

What kind of tripe is this we are asked to bring in as the First Schedule?

1.7 a.m.

Sir P. HARRIS

Can we hear an explanation? I really think we ought to know, because hundreds of persons are going to be affected and I should like to know what alterations have been made in the Schedule, what new articles have been added, what are to be excluded, whether the hon. Member's tripe is to be included or excluded as an article of diet? I think we are entitled to some explanation.

Sir GIFFORD FOX

I would like the Under-Secretary to explain whether this will affect smallholders selling at the side of main roads.

Mr. DEPUTY-SPEAKER

The hon. Member is not moving? I call upon the hon. Member for Lowestoft (Mr. Loftus) to move his Amendment to the Lords Amendment.

Mr. LOFTUS

I beg to move, as an Amendment to the Lords Amendment, in paragraph 1, sub-paragraph (g, ii), to leave out "Acts, 1924 to 1935," and to insert "Act, 1936."

Mr. BENJAMIN SMITH

Is the hon. Member an authority on tripe?

Mr. LOFTUS

Perhaps I might mention that I shall have to move a consequential Amendment.

Amendment to Lords Amendment agreed to.

Mr. LOFTUS

I beg to move, "That the Lords Amendment, as amended, be agreed to."

Sir P. HARRIS

Can we have some explanation as to the way in which the Schedule is being altered?

1.10 a.m.

Mr. LOFTUS

I would point out that to avoid a large number of Amendments of a drafting character a new First Schedule has been put down. The main alterations of substance are: The exemption for the sale of meals has been extended so as to give a general exemption for meals and refreshments for consumption off the premises, subject to the provisions of the new Clause.

In (c) there is an exemption for newly-cooked provisions and cooked and partially cooked tripe. This follows the precedent of the Shops Act, 1928, and is intended to enable ham and beef shops to carry on their business. In (e) the word "fresh" has been removed before the words "flowers and vegetables" but tinned and dried milk and bottled fruit are not included. There is also an exemption for the supply of motor and cycle accessories. The word "necessary" has been dropped as adding nothing to the exemption.

Sir P. HARRIS

Why tripe, and not fried fish?

1.13 a.m.

Lieut.-Colonel MOORE

I have on the Paper an Amendment to sub-paragraph (o), after the word "donkeys" to insert the words "or food for domestic animals." I fully accept and sympathise with the Amendment coming from another place which provides that donkeys, mules and ponies should get fodder if taken by their owners to another place—to a holiday resort for a day out. But I cannot understand the limitation which the Lords have imposed. If you agreed to my Amendment it would bring in food for domestic animals such as dogs. A dog is more likely to be taken by its owner.

Mr. DEPUTY-SPEAKER

Has this point been accepted by the promoters? If this becomes opposed business, it must come to an end.

Lieut.-Colonel MOORE

a: As I do not wish to hamper the passage of the Bill, I shall not move my Amendment.

Mr. LOFTUS

I beg to move as a consequential Amendment to the Bill, in Clause 9, page 10, line 18, to leave out "Acts, 1924 to 1935," and to insert "Act, 1936."

Amendment agreed to.

Remaining Lords Amendments agreed to.