§ 4. Mrs. GormanTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the operation of Sunday trading laws in Scotland.
§ The Secretary of State for Scotland (Mr. Ian Lang)The restrictions on Sunday trading contained in the Shops Act 1950 do not apply in Scotland, with the exception of hairdressers and barbers. Although there is almost complete freedom of trade, many traders choose not to do so in response to the prevailing wishes of their local communities. The present arrangements appear to work satisfactorily and I see no reason to alter the present position.
§ Mrs. GormanI thank my right hon. Friend for his reply. Has he any evidence of a decrease in church-going, an increase in marital break-up or an increase in the number of complaints to industrial tribunals by women who are asked to work on Sunday against their will? If he has no such evidence, does he think that the introduction of Sunday trading in Britain is likely to cause the kind of social and moral breakdown that has been suggested by some advocates of restrictions?
§ Mr. LangI am sure that the problems described by my hon. Friend have increased, but I have no evidence that 845 any such increase is related to shops in Scotland opening on Sunday. I have no plans to change the present arrangements.
§ Mr. Harry EwingWould not it be a good thing to allow barbers to open on Sunday, if only to help the Under-Secretary of State, the hon. Member for Eastwood (Mr. Stewart)?
§ Mr. LangAs ever, the hon. Gentleman takes a great interest in hon. Members this side of the House, but I suppose that from his point of view it is a receding problem.