Keep Sunday special
Helen has spoken out against any changes to the law to allow more shopping on Sundays.
She has written to Ministers at the Department of Trade and Industry to urge them to reject any extensions to Sunday trading hours, and is supporting a parliamentary motion opposing change.
Helen said, “Any moves to allow large stores to open longer on Sundays risk spoiling the special character of the day. Change could seriously undermine the family life of millions of shopworkers and destroy the trade of thousands of small convenience stores.
“I think most people are quite happy with having 150 hours each week to do their shopping.”
The Government recently asked for views on whether Sunday trading hours should be changed. The Government has also just released a cost-benefit analysis on extending Sunday trading hours.
Helen said, “The Government needs to make sure it takes into account wider social and lifestyle issues, as well as just the narrow economic effects of changing the law.
“I hope that Ministers will not rely too much on evidence provided by the big supermarkets, who would be the main beneficiaries of change, at the expense of shop workers and small stores.”
Filed under: Uncategorized on June 2nd, 2006
