HC Deb 05 August 1971 vol 822 cc375-6W
Miss Joan Hall

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will announce well in advance of the usual October date the Christmas, 1971, days for shop closing, in order to help particularly food shops to plan ahead.

Mr. Carlisle

My right hon. Friend does not propose to exercise his powers under the Shops Act, 1950, to suspend the operation of shop closing hours during the 1971 Christmas season. This power has not been exercised for many years, but local authorities have been assured that ample notice would be given to them if, in any year, it was proposed to resort to it.

MAGISTRATES' COURTS
Percentage of legal aid applications refused in England and Wales—1969 and 1970
Summary proceedings Committal proceedings For trial on indictment
Area Percentage of applications refused in 1969 Percentage of applications refused in 1970 Percentage of applications refused in 1969 Percentage of applications refused in 1970 Percentage of applications refused in 1969 Percentage of applications refused in 1970
COUNTIES
Bedfordshire 2.5 6.2 0.5 2.3
Berkshire 7.0 5.8 2.0 0.8 0.4 0.7
Buckinghamshire 8.0 9.6 1.4 0.4 0.4 0.4
Cambridgeshire and Isle of Ely 11.3 12.9 1.4 0.6 1.5
Cheshire 5.3 7.7 3.0 2.5 0.6 1.9
Cornwall 4.3 6.1 3.2
Cumberland 10.8 7.0 5.0 9.3 6.3 4.7
Derbyshire 6.8 6.8 1.1 0.7
Devon 4.7 5.3 0.8
Dorset 15.4 17.2 11.5 8.2 2.7 0.8
Durham 20.2 18.2 5.0 2.7 0.7
Essex 24.7 19.0 3.8 4.6 3.0 2.0
Gloucestershire 12.4 11.9 3.1 2.4 0.4
Hampshire 9.5 12.8 3.9 4.3 1.3 1.4
Isle of Wight 37.3 18.1 40.9 15.8
Herefordshire 11.7 8.6 0.9 1.0
Hertfordshire 10.1 11.1 1.0 2.5 0.7
Huntingdon and Peterborough 3.0 1.4 0.9
Kent 11.1 14.0 1.2 1.4 0.7 0.3
Lancashire 22.4 18.6 5.2 5.1 0.9 1.3
Leicestershire 10.7 9.1
Lincolnshire—
Holland 4.3 7.2
Kesteven 7.8 8.3
Lindsey 10.8 1.5 0.6
Inner London Area 26.7 28.6 7.1 4.4 2.6 1.6

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