§ Mr. BakerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if it his policy to seek to disapply the provisions of the Sunday Observance Act 1780 in respect of 31 December 2000.[126803]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienYes. On 17 January this year, we laid before Parliament the draft Deregulation (Sunday Dancing and Licensing) Order 2000 which would remove the prohibition in the Sunday Observance Act 1780 on charging for public dances on Sundays. The Deregulation Committees of both Houses have indicated their readiness, subject to certain changes being made, to recommend approval of the Order. We have considered their comments carefully and have invited further comments from the Committees on changes to the proposals before formally re-laying the Order. We hope that the Order will be in force before 31 December 2000, which is a Sunday.