§ Mr. Newtonasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the dates of all public holidays in the United Kingdom in 1977.
§ Mr Denzil Davies, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 8th July 1976; Vol. 914, c. 663], gave the following information:
The following days will be common law public holidays or Bank holidays under the Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971:
- 17th March (Northern Ireland only).
- 8th April.
- 11th April (England, Wales and Northern Ireland only).
- 2nd May (Scotland only).
- 6th June (England, Wales and Northern Ireland only).
- 7th June (England, Wales and Northern Ireland only).
- 1st August (Scotland only).
- 29th August (England, Wales and Northern Ireland only).
- 26th December.
The date of a Bank holiday for Scotland in celebration of the Queen's Silver Jubilee is still under discussion.
As the then Secretary of State for Employment announced in the House on 30th March in answer to a Written Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Kingston upon Hull, Central (Mr. McNamara), the Government are consulting with interested bodies about the choice of days to be designated as Bank holidays when the normal dates fall at the weekend. In 1977 1st January falls on a Saturday; and 2nd January, normally a Bank holiday in Scotland and 25th December fall on a Sunday.