§ 128. Mrs. WiseTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance he has issued to local authorities in connection with the enforcement of the law relating to Sunday trading.
§ Mr. RentonMy right hon. Friend has not issued guidance to local authorities on this matter as there is no reason to suppose that they are not aware of their responsibilities under section 71 of the Shops Act 1950.
As my right hon. and learned Friend the Attorney-General made clear in answer to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Orpington (Mr. Stanbrook) on 17 April at column 26, the fact that some cases have been referred to the European Court under article 177 of the treaty of Rome does not affect the duty of the local authorities to enforce the law. The court has yet to give its judgement on the first of these cases, but the Advocate General published his opinion on 29 June. This opinion, which is not binding on the court, indicated that the provisions of the Shops Act 1950 were not in breach of the treaty of Rome.