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Bill · started in the Lords

Sunday Trading (Horticulture) Bill [HL]

A Bill to amend the Sunday Trading Act 1994 in connection with the sale of horticultural supplies.

In progress Current stage: Committee stage (Lords)

The story so farThe Sunday Trading (Horticulture) Bill was introduced in the House of Lords on 10 March 2008 by The Earl of Courtown (Conservative). It is now at committee stage in the House of Lords. At committee stage the bill is examined line by line and amendments can be made, before it returns for report stage.

What the bill does

The purpose of the Bill is to amend the Sunday Trading Act 1994 in connection with the sale of horticultural supplies.<br><br>The Sunday Trading Act 1994 permits shops to open on Sundays, in England and Wales, but imposes limits on trading hours according to the size of the premises. Shops defined as having large trading areas are currently restricted to six continual hours of trading between 10am and 6pm on Sundays. Many garden centres have large trading areas to accommodate the products they stock. <br><br>The Bill would enable local authorities to pass a resolution allowing garden centres to trade up to a maximum of eight hours between 9am and 7pm on Sundays, including Easter Sunday.<br><br><br><strong>Key areas<br></strong><br><ul><li>Amends Schedule 1 of the Sunday Trading Act 1994</li><li>Introduces a definition of &lsquo;garden centre&rsquo; as a large shop where the trade or business carried on consists wholly or mainly of the retail sale of horticultural supplies</li><li>Enables local authorities to pass a resolution permitting the opening of a garden centre up to a maximum of eight hours between 9am and 7pm on Sundays</li><li>Allows local authorities to specify the Sundays to which the resolution applies, including Easter Sunday.</li></ul>

Progress through Parliament

  1. 1st reading Lords 10 Mar 2008
  2. 2nd reading Lords 16 May 2008
  3. Committee stage Lords Current

Source: the official bill page. Last updated 23 Feb 2009.