I have received a number of emails regarding Sunday trading.
I have always been a supporter of Sunday trading. Our proposals were to give local authorities the power to ‘zone’ the relaxation of Sunday trading hours to help high streets and city centres over out-of-town retail parks. The Government recognises that not everyone will want shops to open for longer on Sundays, which is why it would have been local authorities, who have the best understanding of their communities, that would have been given the power to decide this.
As you may be aware, with the debate have taken place in Parliament, MPs have decided not to go ahead with plans to relax Sunday trading hours. The Government respects this decision and I can confirm that the plans will not be resurrected through the Enterprise Bill.
There was a clear majority of English and Welsh MPs who wanted this plan to give local communities the power to create more jobs and to boost local high streets. Whatever your view on Sunday trading, it is both disappointing and hypocritical of the SNP to deny people the freedoms to shop that are already available to those they represent in Scotland.