The government was widely expected to announce its intentions on liberalisation of the current legislation this month. However this could now be delayed by the arrival of a new minister at the Department of Trade and Industry responsible for Sunday trading.
In May, Gerry Sutcliffe, then employment relations minister, left the DTI to take up a post at the Home Office.
His duties were taken over by Ian McCartney, who came into the department as minister
for trade, investment and foreign affairs.
Shane Brennan, government relations manager at the Association of Convenience Stores said that he expected this to drag on for a few more weeks - and that the ACS would continue to lobby MPs in the meantime.
He said: "It looks as if it will take time for the new minister to get up to speed on all the issues, but we remain positive that there is enough support for our views in parliament and we will continue to keep up the pressure."
A recent report commissioned by the ACS concluded that the government's cost-benefits analysis of liberalisation was significantly flawed.

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