Rules and Regulations

HC Deb 12 January 1995 vol 252 c202W

18. Mr. Steen

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the rules and regulations governing Home Office matters which have been withdrawn in the last 12 months; and what has been the consequent reduction to his Department's manpower.

Mr. Michael Forsyth

Records of changes to Home Office rules and regulations are not kept in the precise form requested, but the following are the main changes made to Home Office legislation affecting business in the last 12 months:

• the Sunday Trading Act 1994 has reduced and clarified the restrictions on Sunday Trading;
• the Shops Act 1950 has been abolished;
• the Deregulation and Contracting Out Act included amendments to the Licensing Act 1964, the Sunday Observance Act 1780, the Charities Acts 1992 and 1993 and the Betting, Gaming and Lotteries Act 1963.

These changes have not significantly affected Home Office manpower since the Home Office was not generally responsible for enforcing the legislation concerned.