Guernsey will be taking a fresh look at its Sunday Trading restrictions - but not anytime soon.

Commerce Minister Carla McNulty Bauer says there's no overwhelming view that the Island is suffering under the present arrangements.

A review might go ahead next year.

In a statement to States memebrs she said: 'States members will be aware that I recently sought their initial views by e mail on whether the Department should undertake a review of the current Sunday Trading regulations. My Board appreciated the constructive feedback from those members who responded. In total, we received 36 replies.

As one might expect, a broad range of views was put forward but what was clear was that a majority of those who replied felt that the subject warranted looking at, although there was little support that this should take immediate priority over other work the Department currently has planned.

And whilst Members identified some anomalies and illogicalities within the existing provisions, there was no overwhelming view that the Island was suffering under the present arrangements. These views broadly correspond with the opinion of Commerce and Employment Board members.

We have concluded that we should undertake a wide and thorough consultation on the subject looking not only at preferences and opinion, but also trying to assess the impacts and consequences of liberalisation or regulation on people, employees, and businesses. The Department agreed that this work should if possible be programmed as part of our Departments 2011 Business Plan. The results of that consultation will give us a steer as to what we do next on the subject.

I should, however, add that this is not at this stage a guarantee that the work will be undertaken in 2011. We will have to look in due course at the total possible content of our 2011 plan, together with the resources available to the Department, before making a final decision; although I am hopeful that we will see the work done during next year'.