Clause 9. — (Provisions respecting Shop Assistants.)

Part of Orders of the Day — Shops (Sunday Trading Restriction) Bill. – in the House of Commons at on 1 May 1936.

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Photo of Mr Geoffrey Lloyd Mr Geoffrey Lloyd , Birmingham, Ladywood

My hon. Friend the Member for South Nottingham (Mr. Markham) and the hon. Member for Westhoughton (Mr. Rhys Davies) have appealed to me to bring about, if possible, a reconciliation in this matter. Of course the hon. Member for Westhoughton knows that I have always to pay great attention to what he says. Therefore, I have seriously considered his point. But I wonder whether he has forgotten that this Amendment itself is the result of a certain agreed compromise? The first suggestion put forward was a general exemption for chemists who were supplying medicines and certain appliances. There were other suggestions of various kinds, resulting in the rejection of an Amendment which came before the Standing Committee. The matter was further considered by the various interests and the proposal in this Amendment is brought forward. Therefore it is in the nature of a compromise. Let us examine it on its merits. It is now proposed that registered pharmacists employed on Sundays in those shops which have to be open for the serving of customers in pursuance of a contract with an insurance committee shall not be required to receive the compensatory half holiday, subject to the conditions that the pharmacists must not be employed for more than two hours on the Sunday and have not been employed on the previous Sunday, that is to say must be employed on alternative Sundays only, and must receive compensatory time off in the week.. The Amendment is of a very restrictive character. It applies only to those chemists' shops which have to be open on Sunday under contract. It applies only to qualified assistants, and only to those who are employed for not more than two hours on alternative Sundays. After consultation with the Ministry of Health we think that the Amendment should be accepted, in view of its extremely limited character.