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| Boxing Day shopping ban petition being debated by MPs | |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| MPs are debating calls for shops to be banned from opening on Boxing Day, after an online petition attracted more than 100,000 signatures. | |
| There are currently no controls on trading hours on that day unless it happens to fall on a Sunday, and campaigners say workers need more rest. | There are currently no controls on trading hours on that day unless it happens to fall on a Sunday, and campaigners say workers need more rest. |
| But the government has said it will not tell retailers "how to run their shops or how best to serve their customers". | But the government has said it will not tell retailers "how to run their shops or how best to serve their customers". |
| Boxing Day is among the busiest days of the year, with many sales starting. | Boxing Day is among the busiest days of the year, with many sales starting. |
| However, the e-petition gained 138,235 signatures - more than the 100,000 required for Parliament to consider holding a debate. The debate began at 16:30 GMT and is scheduled to run to 19:30 GMT. | |
| It states: "Christmas is a family time. The one day is not enough time to see two sides of families. Retail workers work extremely hard during the Christmas run up and only get the one day. | It states: "Christmas is a family time. The one day is not enough time to see two sides of families. Retail workers work extremely hard during the Christmas run up and only get the one day. |
| "If only everywhere could be closed Boxing Day! Some things are needed over the festive period; retail isn't one of them." | "If only everywhere could be closed Boxing Day! Some things are needed over the festive period; retail isn't one of them." |
| In its response to the petition, the government said: "We do not believe it is for central government to tell businesses how to run their shops or how best to serve their customers. Therefore we are not proposing to ban shops from opening on Boxing Day." | In its response to the petition, the government said: "We do not believe it is for central government to tell businesses how to run their shops or how best to serve their customers. Therefore we are not proposing to ban shops from opening on Boxing Day." |
| The Christmas Day Trading Act prohibits shops larger than 280 sq m from opening on 25 December, but Boxing Day is important for the retail industry. | The Christmas Day Trading Act prohibits shops larger than 280 sq m from opening on 25 December, but Boxing Day is important for the retail industry. |
| Last year, experts predicted that 22 million people, many attracted by sales, would spend more than £3bn. | Last year, experts predicted that 22 million people, many attracted by sales, would spend more than £3bn. |
| And, in 2014, 365,000 people in the UK retail industry worked on Boxing Day, according to the Office for National Statistics. | And, in 2014, 365,000 people in the UK retail industry worked on Boxing Day, according to the Office for National Statistics. |
| Labour MP Helen Jones is leading the debate in Westminster Hall. It will not involve a vote so cannot enforce a change in the law, but is a chance for MPs to demonstrate whether it is an issue with much support in Parliament. |