HL Deb 18 November 1920 vol 42 cc382-3

Order of the Day for the House to be put into Committee read.

Moved, That the House do now resolve itself into Committee.—(The Earl of Onslow.)

House in Committee accordingly.

[The EARL OF DONOUGHMORE in the Chair.]

Clause 1:

Temporary continuance of certain orders for the early closing of shops.

1.—(1) The order made by the Secretary of State dated the twenty-fourth day of April nineteen hundred and seventeen, under Regulation Ion of the Defence of the Realm Regulations as amended by any subsequent orders (which order as so amended is sot out in Part I of the Schedule to this Act), shall continue in force notwithstanding the expiry of the Defence of the Realm (Consolidation) Act, 1914, and shall have effect in the area of any local authority as if it were a closing order made and confirmed under the Shops Act, 1912, and subsection (5) of section five and sections thirteen and fourteen of that Act shall apply accordingly.

(2)The said order shall, as from the passing of this Act, cease to have effect as an order made under the said regulation.

(3)In the application of this Act to Scotland this Act shall have effect as if for references to the said order there were substituted references to the order made on the twenty-sixth day of April nineteen hundred and seventeen by the Secretary for Scotland, as amended by any subsequent orders (which order as so amended is set out in Part II of the Schedule to this Act).

THE EARL OF ONSLOW moved, at the end of subsection (1), to insert "Provided that the Secretary of State may for such days as he thinks fit suspend the operation of the said order during the Christmas season, or in connection with any other special occasion." The noble Earl said: It has been customary to suspend the general early closing order at Christmas for a few days, and this suspension has been effected by a special order of the Secretary of State. It will no doubt be desirable to suspend the order at Christmas this year.

Amendment moved— Clause 1, page 1, line 15, at end insert: ("Provided that the Secretary of State may for such days as he thinks fit suspend the operation of the said order during the Christmas season, or in connection with any other special occasion").—(The Earl of Onslow.)

THE EARL OF ONSLOW

The next Amendment is consequential and comes at the end of subsection (3).

Amendment moved— Clause 1, page 1, line 24, at end insert ("and as if for references to the 'Secretary of State' there were substituted references to the Secretary for Scotland").—(The Earl of Onslow.)

Clause 1, as amended, agreed to.

Remaining clause agreed to.