The main focus during the second day of debate on the Report Stage of the Enterprise Bill will be on the government’s plan to devolve the power to determine Sunday trading hours for shops to local Councils. I see no reason why this should not take place. When one considers all the other powers devolved to local government particularly with the new set up in Greater Manchester this seems a pretty minor matter. It is rather ironic that the Scottish Nationalist Party who want to see all powers devolved from Westminster to Edinburgh want to stop this one small area being devolved to Councils in England. Even more bizarre when one considers that Sunday trading hours are deregulated in Scotland.

This issue demonstrates the weakness of the current so called English Votes for English Laws arrangement. If we genuinely had English Votes on English Laws the votes of the Scottish Nationalists would have no bearing on a matter like this.