§ Mr. BRIANTasked the Home Secretary if, in view of the fact that ice-cream can be served to persons attending dinners at restaurants, etc., after eight o'clock, an extension of the hours In which it can be sold at shops can now be granted?
§ Mr. SHORTTEight o'clock (nine o'clock on Saturdays) is the hour fixed for the closing of shops by the general Order in force throughout the country. I am afraid it would not be possible to make exceptions to the general rule in favour of the sale of particular articles because they may also happen to be supplied in restaurants after that hour as part of a meal. The bulk of opinion among shop-1330W keepers is strongly in favour of maintaining the present closing hour, if not of fixing an even earlier hour.