I support the Bill wholeheartedly; it is long overdue. It is perhaps a sad reflection of the direction in which our society is moving that Members of the House in 1994 did not think it conceivable that shops could want to open on Christmas day. In 2004, we find that there is serious pressure on shops to open, on many shop workers to be away from their families and those they love and—in particular—on parents to be away from their children on Christmas day. The Bill has my 110 per cent. personal support. I shall certainly do all that I can to ensure that my party gives it the fairest possible wind.

We have talked about clause 1, which is the main part of the Bill. I pay tribute to the organisation called Keep Time for Children, which springs from the

Relationships Foundation, based in Cambridge. It is quite appalling how many children do not see their parents, who may work both days of the weekend. The Bill goes a little way towards ensuring that, at least on Christmas day, families can be together. It is an excellent Bill, and there is obviously widespread agreement among hon. Members here. I wish it a fair wind. Things have slipped to a degree that many of us would not have imagined since the 1994 Act, and perhaps there will be further work to do on the subject to ensure that that precious family time, particularly for children, is safeguarded throughout our society.