Sunday Trading
Debate between Lord Hylton and Baroness Wilcox
Lord Hylton
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will make proposals for Sundays to be as far as possible work-free, following requests to the European Union Council of Ministers.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (Baroness Wilcox)
My Lords, the Government have no plans to make Sundays work-free. Sunday working brings significant benefits to employers, consumers and employees alike in terms of convenience, flexibility and availability of work.
Lord Hylton
I thank the noble Baroness for her reply even though I cannot say that I find it very encouraging. Can I persuade her that a known national day of rest each week would bring huge benefits—for example to family life, amateur sport, voluntary social activities, and even the environment by reducing the pollution arising from commercial activities?
Baroness Wilcox
What a lovely thought. However, British workers already have their right to a day’s rest a week, or two days in two weeks, and it is not for the Government to decide for their people which day best suits the individual. We firmly believe in a freedom of choice in this matter. It would be lovely to follow what the noble Lord is asking for, but a significant proportion of people would still be working, because one person’s rest is another person’s work.