§ 4.46 p.m.
§ LORD HADEN-GUEST rose to move, That an humble Address be presented to His Majesty under subsection (1) of Section seven of the Shops Act, 1950, praying that the provisions of that Act relating to general closing hours which have effect only as respects the winter months, being provisions which would otherwise expire on the tenth day of December, nineteen hundred and fifty-one, be continued in force for a further period of one year until the tenth day of December, nineteen hundred and fifty-two. The noble Lord said: My Lords, on behalf of my noble friend Lord Shepherd, I beg to move that an humble Address be presented to His Majesty as set out on the Order Paper. It is necessary that this should be done because otherwise the provisions of the Shops Act, 1950, which it is proposed to continue in force, would fall into abeyance. It is necessary to fix a general closing hour of 6 p.m. on a normal day, and 7.30 p.m. on a late day, during winter months—that is, for the period from the first Sunday in November to the day before the first Sunday in the succeeding March.
§ The provisions were first contained in Defence Regulation 60A ((b) and were incorporated in the 1950 Act, subject to the same conditions applying to the Regulation—in particular, that they should expire on December 10, 1950. I will not trouble your Lordships with details of the Act, as it is essential to deal only with this particular aspect if the Regulations are to continue to be in force during the winter period. Steps were taken last year to continue the provisions and they are now, therefore, due to expire on December 10, 1951. If the provisions were allowed to lapse the winter closing hours would revert to 8 p.m. on ordinary days and 9 p.m. on the late day, which are the general closing hours laid down in the Shops Act of 1928. It is thought that the earlier 752 date chosen for presenting the humble Address this year will suit the general convenience of all concerned better than the later date, and it is for this reason that I am moving it to-day.
§ There are a number of important matters involved in these Regulations. One is, of course, the convenience of shoppers, and in this respect the existance of a five-day week has much relevance. Another is that late hours might entail the employment of more people and the dislocation of trade; and in view of the general labour situation and the need for higher production in industry, and the expansion of rearmament, that would be undesirable. I therefore trust that your Lordships will find it possible to agree that the humble Address be presented to His Majesty, and thus bring winter closing hours of shops into line with those of last year and the year before. I beg to move.
§ Moved, That an humble Address be presented to His Majesty under subsection (1) of Section seven of the Shops Act, 1950, praying that the provisions of that Act relating to general closing hours which have effect only as respects the winter months, being provisions which would otherwise expire on the tenth day of December, nineteen hundred and fifty-one, be continued in force for a further period of one year until the tenth day of December, nineteen hundred and fifty-two.—(Lord Haden-Guest.)
§ On Question, Motion agreed to: the said Address to be presented to His Majesty by the Lords with White Staves.