§ 16. Mr. FabricantTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to alter the hours of trading of garden centres on Sunday; and if he will make a statement. [24240]
§ Mr. KynochI am pleased to be able to tell my hon. Friend that there are no general statutory restrictions on Sunday trading in Scotland. The questions whether and when to trade on a Sunday therefore remain matters for individual and corporate traders to decide. We have no intention of regulating hours of trading on a Sunday for garden centres or any other business in Scotland.
§ Mr. FabricantHow wise that answer was. May I ask my hon. Friend to give an unequivocal assurance that he has no intention of closing garden centres on Easter Sunday? Is he aware of how disastrous that has been in mid-Staffordshire not only for garden centers—
§ Madam SpeakerOrder. The question should relate to Scotland, not Staffordshire.
§ Mr. FabricantDoes not Scotland lead the way, and should not England and Wales follow? Last Easter Sunday, 15 million people in England and Wales who wanted to buy plants and other products were turned away from garden centres.
§ Mr. KynochI thank my hon. Friend for his opening flattery. Matters relating to south of the border are for my right hon. and learned Friend the Home Secretary.