HL Deb 29 July 1971 vol 323 cc620-2

3.15 p.m.

LORD MAELOR

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government to what extent local authorities are empowered to allow facilities for the playing of organised games on Sunday.]

LORD MOWBRAY AND STOURTON

My Lords, the statutory powers of local authorities to provide facilities for sport and recreation are not drawn in terms of Sunday use, except that the Public Health Acts (Amendment) Act 1890 forbids the closing of parks or pleasure grounds on that day. The matter is therefore one for individual local authorities to decide for themselves.

LORD MAELOR

My Lords, is the Minister aware that the Wrexham Rural District Council decided last week to organise games on Sunday, and to pay for these from the rates? Will he agree that that is illegal?

LORD MOWBRAY AND STOURTON

My Lords, if the noble Lord had put that question direct to me I should have been given a better opportunity to answer it. The 1780 Act prohibits the opening of places on Sunday to which people are admitted on payment. I do not think that covers the point to which the noble Lord is referring.

BARONESS SUMMERSKILL

My Lords, does not the noble Lord think it desirable that the Government should bring to the attention of local authorities the importance of the social amenity provided by organised games on Sundays, and ask them why they do not provide them?

LORD MOWBRAY AND STOURTON

My Lords, Her Majesty's Government are not taking any particular view on this point. The law is there, and the local authorities have charge of their own grounds.

BARONESS SUMMERSKILL

My Lords, I am asking the noble Lord whether he will take a particular view and prod local authorities on the subject.

LORD MOWBRAY AND STOURTON

My Lords, I am not quite sure in which direction the noble Baroness is trying to get the Government to prod. Does she want more games on Sunday or fewer games on Sunday? It has been the view of successive Governments that the Crathorne Committee Report should be implemented by a Private Member's Bill, and all Governments have been giving help. It is perhaps unfortunate for all of us that none of these has reached the Statute Book.

BARONESS SUMMERSKILL

My Lords, I should not like the Minister to go away with the wrong idea. Of course I believe that children should be allowed to play games on Sunday; children living in overcrowded areas should be given this opportunity. It is a very good thing for all boys in the streets to have organised games.

LORD MOWBRAY AND STOURTON

My Lords, I think this is within the bounds of the law already.

LORD MAELOR

My Lords, the Minister said he was not too sure in which direction the noble Baroness was moving. I can assure him of the fact that if I ask a question she is bound to ask a supplementary.

LORD HAWKE

My Lords, can the noble Lord tell us whether it is more wicked to play cricket on Sundays or to listen to political speeches?

LORD MOWBRAY AND STOURTON

My Lords, I am sure there is value in both.