I appreciate that a number of concerns have been raised regarding the Government’s proposals to devolve Sunday trading rules to local areas by amending the Enterprise Bill.

Polls show that a large majority of the public support the existing Sunday trading rules. Indeed, before the General Election the Conservative Party claimed that it had no plans to change the current rules on Sunday trading stating that the current rules provided “a reasonable balance”.

Labour has been consistent in echoing the voices of small businesses, shop workers and their families in support of the current arrangements. It works well and means that retailers can trade, customers can shop, and shop workers can spend time with their families. Choosing to include such sweeping changes at this stage in the Enterprise Bill’s passage through Parliament, and at such short notice, shows that Ministers intend to bounce these measures through with minimum scrutiny.