SUNDAY ENTERTAINMENTS BILL [H.L.] (Hansard, 1 May 1967)

§ LORD WILLIS
My Lords, I beg to move that this Bill be now read a third time. Your Lordships will be relieved to hear that at this stage I do not intend to go again over the arguments we have had during the past few months on this Bill, but I should like to say two things. First I would very sincerely like to thank noble Lords on both sides of the House who have given me their cooperation in putting this Bill through its various stages. There have been remarkably few differences on principle: the House seems to have been prepared to accept the basic principles on which the Bill is based. There have been minor differences, and though these have not always been settled in favour of the minority, nevertheless they were settled amicably and in good spirit.
The other point I would make is to express the hope that the Government will take note of the discussions that have taken place on this Bill and of the support it has received generally. I have been astonished at the lack of opposition to it in public opinion. There has 704 been a tremendous swing in the last few years and I hope that when the Bill goes to another place the Government will give it early time. At a period in our history when the Government has to say "No" to so many things, it would be nice to have them say "Yes". When we go on discussing so many grim and seemingly dull subjects, as seems inevitable in Parliament, it would be nice if the Government would find time for a Bill which is designed to give pleasure, to give fun, to provide wider entertainment—above all, to provide something that would cost the Government nothing.

§ LORD DERWENT
My Lords, I am sure that all your Lordships are glad to see the end of this Bill. The noble Lord, Lord Willis, is right—the general principle has been widely accepted. There have been one or two disagreements on certain points, and although naturally I think that I was right, your Lordships have taken the view that I was wrong. I should like to congratulate the noble Lord on getting this measure through. It will give a great deal of pleasure. I hope that it will get a fair wind in another place, and that it will become law this Session.

THE LORD BISHOP OF LINCOLN
My Lords, I should be grateful for the indulgence of the House so that I may give two reasons why I personally cannot accept the Bill. I apologise for not having been present at the earlier debates. I was brought up in a strictly Sabbatarian home and I reacted violently against it. I remember an old radical, who had spent many years fighting against the squire, in his old age saying to me sadly, "The old days were bad—the new ones are worse." My first reason for believing that the Bill is not necessary in the common interest is that it will deprive an increasing number of people of the pleasure, to which they are entitled, of a common holiday. It is no good telling me that we could have another day. I am a Bishop and I work on Sundays. I rarely have the enjoyment of pottering about, and I know the difference when we share a common day of leisure. I believe that for a large number of people the fact that there is a day when everybody else is at liberty is immensely 705 important, and therefore I oppose legislation which adds to the steadily growing commercial pressure to make capital out of our leisure.
Secondly, I believe that, apart from private duties of worship, there is the need in this highly pressurised society for one day which is leisurely, when you can potter about and do odd things without having to be herded together among an enormous number of people. I know that many people will do this of their own choice, but human nature being what it is a great many people will not do so if circumstances make it possible for them to escape from the responsibility of pursuing on their own initiative things of the mind and the spirit. I believe that the emphasis which the Bill places on commercialised entertainment is not in the best interests of the community, and therefore I cannot possibly support it.

§ BARONESS SUMMERSKILL
My Lords, surely the reverend Prelate's argument is a little illogical. He pleads for people to do things on their own initiative. This Bill does not deny to anybody the right to do anything he wishes. It does not compel people to go to any entertainment whatsoever. They will be completely free to do anything they wish.

THE LORD BISHOP OF LINCOLN
My Lords, I thank the noble Lady for her intervention. I thought that I had made it clear that the Bill does not force anybody to do anything which they do not wish to do. The point is that if by the custom of society it is possible to have a vast range of commercial pleasures, it makes it more difficult for many ordinary people to exercise their initiative, because they do not do it anyway.

§ BARONESS HORSBRUGH
My Lords, is it not the case that many people will have to do what they would rather not do, because if they do not agree to work on Sundays it might be impossible for them to keep their work on other days?

§ LORD STRATHCARRON
My Lords, as they will probably be receiving double time, they will perhaps be pleased to work on Sunday.

§ LORD WILLIS
My Lords, I did not realise that we should reopen this debate. 706 and I do not intend to follow along that line. I beg to move that this Bill do now pass.