§ Mr. David PorterTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on which Acts of Parliament are in force governing which shops and markets may open and what goods may legally be sold on Sundays in England; and who has responsibility for enforcing such Acts.
§ Mrs. RumboldPart IV of the Shops Act 1950 contains the general prohibition on Sunday trading in England and Wales. It also contains provisions for partial exemption from, and modification to, that general prohibition, and for there to be, in schedules 5, 6 and 7 to the Act, lists of exempted transactions. Special exemptions from the general prohibition are also made in the Tyne and Wear Act 1976 for the Quayside market in Newcastle upon Tyne; in the West Midlands County Council Act 1980 for the national exhibition centre in Birmingham; and in the Greater London Council (General Powers) Acts 1981 and 1983 for exhibitions, trade fairs and conferences held at certain specified premises in Greater London.
Local authorities are responsible for enforcing this area of the law.