§ Mr. Alex CarlileTo ask the Secretary of State for Employment what assessment has been made of the effect of deregulation of Sunday trading hours on shopworkers' rights to attend places of worship, and to spend Sundays with their families.
§ Mr. McLoughlinThe Government have made clear their commitment to reform the Sunday trading laws and intends to honour this as soon as the question of the compatibility of the current law with European law is clear. The decision of the European Court of Justice, which is considering this matter, is expected in the autumn.
The position of shopworkers will, of course, be one of a number of issues to be taken into account when we consider how best to go forward on Sunday trading as a whole.