Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the potential economic effect on small businesses of changing Sunday trading laws.

Devolving the power to extend Sunday trading hours will enable local areas to determine the Sunday trading hours that best reflect the need of local people. There are many reasons why people will continue to choose small retailers. They offer a diverse range of products and services from convenient locations. This is perhaps why the convenience sector last year saw the opening of two new stores a day and growth in turnover of 5%.