asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many prosecutions there have been since May 1986 against small, local retailers;(2) how many prosecutions for contravention of the Shops Act have been made since May 1986.

Information, other than age and sex, is not collected centrally on the characteristics of the defendant in court proceedings; nor is information yet available on the number of court proceedings in 1986.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has any plans to seek to remove the onus for prosecutions for contravention of the Shops Act from local authorities; and if he will make a statement.

We have no plans to do so.