§ LORD DERWENTMy 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 whether, as a result of the undertaking given by the Minister of State on the 18th of June, 1973, to have further consultations with his colleagues about Government support for a possible Private Member's Sunday Trading Bill, they have any further comments to make concerning such a Bill.
THE MINISTER OF STATE, HOME OFFICE (VISCOUNT COLVILLE OF CULROSS)My Lords, any Private Member's Bill which would make the Sunday trading laws less unsatisfactory would receive sympathetic consideration from the Government.
§ LORD DERWENTMy Lords, by "sympathetic consideration" does my noble friend mean sympathetic neutrality or does he mean sympathetic help when such a Bill gets to the other place?
VISCOUNT COLVILLE OF CULROSSMy Lords, despite what I am told from time to time, I find it very difficult to draw the line between the two; but I tend to be more favourable than unfavourable on these occasions.
§ LORD HAMNETTMy Lords, when giving consideration to such a Bill, will the noble Viscount also consult the shop-workers' union on this issue, in the interest of improving industrial relations?
VISCOUNT COLVILLE OF CULROSSMy Lords, I know very well that the unions are very much involved and interested in this question. There are others—and I think my noble friend Lord Ingleby made a remark about them when I answered a similar Question in June—who are involved from the religious point of view. It is not necessarily a simple matter; but I still say that when existing laws are unsatisfactory, a Private Member's Bill will be sympathetically looked at.
§ BARONESS BACONMy Lords, would the noble Viscount not agree that sympathy is of very little use unless some time of the House (particularly that of another place) is given?
VISCOUNT COLVILLE OF CULROSSMy Lords, it is not, I think, right for me to comment on what happens in another place; but in recent years when there have been Private Members' Bills introduced in this House I hope that at any rate the record of the Home Office has been fairly satisfactory.
§ LORD SHACKLETONMy Lords, does not the noble Viscount recall that in the case of Bills of this kind the previous Government, by their own action, agreed to provide time; since otherwise certain legislation would not have got through? Is it not a fact that that is what his noble friend is asking him for?
VISCOUNT COLVILLE OF CULROSSMy Lords, for another place that may well be so, but I think it would be wrong for me to make any promises about what might happen in another place. I can only say what we shall be able to do in this House. Of course I note what the noble Lord said, and I remember what the Government of which he formed an ornament did in their time.