§ 2. Mr. John Hallasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make such amendments to the Shops Act, 1950, as will remove the present discrimination between fixed and mobile shops.
§ The Minister of State, Home Office (Mr. Dennis Vosper)My right hon. Friend cannot undertake to introduce legislation on this subject at present.
§ Mr. HallIs my right hon. Friend aware that many traders suffer from a sense of considerable injustice, because they feel that these mobile shop traders have an unfair advantage at present under the Act, and will he take steps to remedy the existing anomaly?
§ Mr. VosperI am aware of the point, but it cannot be met by a simple amendment. It needs a review and amendment of the Shops Act, and my right hon. Friend cannot undertake that at present.
§ Miss BaconWould not the right hon. Gentleman agree that it was his own back benchers who stopped the Shops Bill being passed a few Sessions ago, and can he say when he is likely to introduce another one?
§ Mr. VosperIt is true that this point would have been dealt with in the Bill which was before Parliament, but as to the future I cannot add to what I have already said.