§ Mrs. Wiseasked the Secretary of State for Employment whether New Year's Day is a public holiday in England and Wales; and what advice has been issued about shop closing, including pharmacies.
§ Mr. Harold WalkerMonday 3rd January 1977 is a Bank holiday throughout
84W
§ Mr. GoldingFollowing is the information at October 1976. Because of industrial action by some staff in the Department of Employment group figures for November are not available.
special development areas and the proportion of such employees to the total employees in region.
§ Mr. GoldingFollowing is the information for June 1975:
the United Kingdom and Saturday 1st January is not. This directly affects only the banks and financial institutions, and is not intended in shops or elsewhere to interfere with any alternative arrangements made between employers and employees, but any additional holiday must be within the terms of the pay policy, and if shops open on the Bank holiday the provisions of any relevant wage regulation order must be complied with.
Family practitioner committees have been advised by the Department of Health and Social Security that 1st January 1977 should be regarded by pharmacies as a normal working day. The committees may, however, permit pharmacies to close or vary their hours on 1st January if local circumstances suggest that the pharmaceutical services available will be adequate. The arrangements for pharmaceutical services on Monday 3rd January will be as for any Bank holiday.