ADEQUATE CONSULTATION
9. The Department has accepted that fuller details
of the pre-consultation exercise should have been included in
the explanatory statement laid with the proposal. It has already
supplied us with details of this exercise, which we have printed
as an appendix to our earlier report.[6]
The present explanatory statement indicates the attempts the
Department has made to consult a broad range of local authorities,
via the Local Government Association and the Local Authorities
Co-ordinators of Regulatory Services (LACORS).[7]
10. The Department intends to issue a press release
once the order comes into force, to ensure that the implications
of the order are widely known, and also intends to write to the
individuals and organisations affected by the proposals.[8]
We recommend that the Department should ensure that all local
authorities affected by the present requirement to keep a register
of Sunday trading hours should be notified directly of the removal
of the requirement as soon as the order comes into force.
11. On the basis of the explanatory statement, we
are satisfied that the responsible Minister has had due regard
to our previous report on the proposal for the draft order.
5 Other representations
12. The period for Parliamentary consideration of
the proposals began on 14 October 2003 and expired on 17 December
2003. The Department states that it received no representations
concerning the proposals during the period for Parliamentary consideration.
6 Recommendation
13. In
accordance with Standing Order No. 141(15), we recommend unanimously
that the draft order be approved.
1 Copies of the proposal are available to Members of
Parliament from the Vote Office and to members of the public from
the Department. The proposal is also available on the Cabinet
Office web site:
www.cabinet-office.gov.uk/regulation/act/proposals.htm. Back
2
Standing Order No. 141(7) Back
3
First Report of the Regulatory Reform Committee, Session 2003-04,
Proposal for the Regulatory Reform (Sunday Trading) Order 2004,
HC (2003-04) 108 Back
4
Ibid., para 39 Back
5
Ibid., para 52 Back
6
Ibid., appendix B Back
7
Explanatory statement, para 6 Back
8
Explanatory statement, para 11 Back