HC Deb 13 February 1969 vol 777 cc1555-6
21. Mr. Gresham Cooke

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in view of the difficulties arising out of Christmas being celebrated in mid-week, as occurred last year, whether he will consult with the churches and other interested bodies on the possibility of Christmas being celebrated on the last Sunday in December.

Mr. Callaghan

I have no reason to believe that there is any widespread opinion in favour of a change in the traditional date.

Mr. Gresham Cooke

Is the Home Secretary aware that, since I made the suggestion in the New Year that Christmas might be celebrated on a Sunday, there has been considerable support for the idea? Is he further aware that the Churches have no theological objection, since it is agreed that Christ was not born on 25th December? Is he further aware that a lot of people consider that it would be more orderly to make Christmas Day a Sunday and so avoid the muddle which arises when it occurs in the middle of the week?

Mr. Callaghan

This is not a matter of orderliness and, whatever support the hon. Gentleman may have secured from outside, he has only 13 signatures to his Motion, which does not suggest that there is much demand in this House for a change. As for the Churches, I have had no initiatives coming from them and, in view of the length of time that it has taken to try to make a fixed Easter, I do not think that I want to embark on this one until we have settled that one.

Mr. Tinn

Nevertheless, I hope that my right hon. Friend will not close his mind entirely to this suggestion because, if the idea were properly canvassed, there might be a good deal of support for it, not least amongst housewives.

Mr. Callaghan

If I am to judge from what happens in my own household, a housewife counts the number of days for which she has to prepare without the shops being open. I do not know whether deciding on a fixed day would make much difference to that. I would not like to encourage any thought that we could embark upon this suggestion. Our experience in attempting to get a fixed Easter must make anyone chary of attempting to get this one through, too.