§ The Secretary of State for Scotland (Mrs. Helen Liddell):Scottish shop workers and betting workers who do not wish to work on Sundays are not protected in the same way as similar workers in England and Wales. I am therefore launching today a consultation exercise on a possible change in the law to end this discrimination.
This follows representations to me about employers moving away from a voluntary arrangement which gave Scottish workers the same rights available under the law to workers in England and Wales. The consultation paper sets out a case for extending to Scotland legal protection in the Employment Rights Act 1996. It invites comments by Friday, 14 March 2003.
I have written to key employer and employee organisations across Scotland inviting them to meet with Scotland Office Ministers to discuss our proposals.
Copies of the consultation paper have been placed in the libraries of both Houses.