Letter: Trading Sundays for more enjoyable Saturdays

Sir: I write in support of the principle of one day of rest in seven which will be focused on this Wednesday during the debate on the Sunday Trading Bill. I believe that the levels of stress, which some people already refer to as the disease of our time, will be considerably increased if the principle of rest is further undermined by deregulation.

I read recently that during the Second World War a seven-day working week was experimented with. In May 1941 the Minister of Labour, Ernest Bevin, told the House of Commons that it had been found that despite seven-day production in arms factories, production had not increased. Later that same year a Commons committee reported: 'No man can work seven days a week and maintain his output.' I hope that the present House of Commons will note these things when it votes on Wednesday.

Yours faithfully,

ROSEMARY GILBERT

Leeds

5 December