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Usdaw calls on the Government to come clean about consultation responses on Sunday trading changes

Date: 02 February 2016 Shopworkers trade union leader John Hannett is calling on the Government to publish in full the consultation responses they have received about a proposal to devolve Sunday trading regulations to local authorities.

John Hannett’s comments come after today’s BIS questions in the House of Commons, where the Minister indicated that the Secretary of State would this afternoon announce the intention to proceed with an amendment to the Enterprise Bill on Sunday trading.

John Hannett – Usdaw General Secretary says: “It is all well and good for the Government to highlight local authority responses to the consultation but, as it is now nearly five months after it closed, surely we should be allowed to see all responses.

“I hope the Government will publish in full the views of retailers, shopworkers, community leaders and all those who take an interest in Sunday trading; so that MPs will be able to take full account of the consequences of future decisions on Sunday trading, particularly the impact on the retail trade. Their views are just as important as local authorities and should be heard as part of the debate.

“The Sunday Trading Act is a great British compromise, which has worked well for over 20 years and gives everyone a little bit of what they want. Retailers can trade, customers can shop, staff can work; whilst Sunday remains a special day, different to other days, and shopworkers can spend some time with their family.”

Notes for editors:

Usdaw (Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers) is the UK's fourth biggest and the fastest growing trade union with over 440,000 members. Membership has increased by more than 17% in the last five years and by nearly a third in the last decade. Most Usdaw members work in the retail sector, but the Union also has many members in transport, distribution, food manufacturing, chemicals and other trades.

Usdaw survey of retail staff: http://www.usdaw.org.uk/CMSPages/GetFile.aspx?guid=e401039e-75f9-4675-8216-56fa579b65b0

The BIS Consultation closed on 16 September and applies to England and Wales: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/devolving-sunday-trading-rules

For Usdaw press releases visit: http://www.usdaw.org.uk/news and you can follow us on Twitter @UsdawUnion

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The official website of the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers