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Easter Trading Bill [HL]

The Easter Trading Bill [HL] is a private member’s bill introduced by Baroness Turner of Camden (Labour), which seeks to “reform the law of England relating to Easter trading; and for connected purposes”. The Bill, if enacted, would amend schedule 1 to the Sunday Trading Act 1994 to remove the prohibition on Easter Day trading for large shops (defined as measuring over 280 square metres/3,000 square foot). The existing restrictions on Sunday trading would still apply to such shops. The Bill would, therefore, enable large shops to open on Easter Sunday as they do on any other Sunday of the year. The Bill would also allow for the repeal or amendment, by statutory instrument, of any provision in a local Act which appears to the Secretary of State to be inconsistent, unnecessary or to require amendment as a consequence of the Bill. The Bill, if enacted, would extend to England only and would come into force on the day on which it was passed.