This In Focus briefing provides background information in advance of the second reading in the House of Lords of the Easter Trading Bill [HL] on 19 June 2015.
Easter Trading Bill [HL] (127KB PDF)
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.
Easter Trading Bill [HL] (127KB PDF)
The Sovereign Grant Bill is a government bill which would amend how the sovereign grant is set. This is a grant paid to the King to support the work of the sovereign. The bill would enable the size of the sovereign grant to be reduced following the completion of a 10-year works project on Buckingham Palace. The bill received cross-party support and was not amended in the House of Commons.
The Commercial Payments Bill [HL] seeks to tackle late payments to small businesses. It would impose minimum payment periods for invoices, prohibit the use of retentions in construction contracts and provide the small business commissioner with greater powers. The bill received an unopposed second reading in the House of Lords on 9 June 2026. 30 government amendments were made to the bill at committee stage.
![Commercial Payments Bill [HL]: Progress in the Lords](https://lordslibrary-parliament.studio24.dev/content/uploads/sites/2/2020/01/Business-VIGs-568x426.jpg)
The Financial Services and Markets Bill [HL] is a wide-ranging bill that aims to reform the way the UK financial services sector is regulated. This briefing provides a summary of the bill’s second reading and committee stage in the House of Lords ahead of its further consideration at report.
![Financial Services and Markets Bill [HL]: Progress in the Lords](https://lordslibrary-parliament.studio24.dev/content/uploads/sites/2/2020/09/Economy-568x426.png)