Overview

This bill aims to reform England's law regarding Easter Sunday trading for large shops, effectively removing existing restrictions on their opening hours. It simplifies the existing legislation and removes inconsistencies.

Description

The main objective of the Easter Trading Bill is to amend the Sunday Trading Act 1994. Specifically, it removes a provision within the Act that prohibits large shops from opening on Easter Sunday. This eliminates a separate set of restrictions for Easter compared to other Sundays. The bill also empowers the Secretary of State to repeal or amend any conflicting provisions in local Acts through statutory instruments, ensuring consistency across the country. This process includes mandatory consultation with affected local authorities and parliamentary scrutiny via a resolution procedure to annul any such instruments.

Government Spending

The bill is not expected to have a significant direct impact on government spending. The cost of administrative processes related to amending local Acts and consultations may arise, but no specific figures are provided in the bill text itself.

Groups Affected

• Large Shops: This bill would allow large shops to open on Easter Sunday if they choose to do so, potentially increasing their revenue.
• Employees of Large Shops: Employees may experience changes in their working schedules, potentially leading to both benefits (e.g., increased income from overtime) and drawbacks (e.g., reduced time off).
• Local Authorities: Local authorities will need to participate in consultations regarding potential amendments to local Acts. This may lead to increased administrative burdens.
• Religious Groups: Some religious groups may hold opposing views on the removal of the trading restrictions.
• Small Shops: This bill primarily focuses on large shops, and so the direct impact on small shops is limited; however, indirect impacts through increased competition may occur.

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