Pressure: Reid

Commons leader John Reid is facing growing pressure to review MPs' working hours.

Research by ePolitix.com has found that an increasing number of MPs who voted for the new arrangements now believe they should be scrapped.

The research also reveals that government ministers are faced with new problems as a result of the changes to working practices.

The reforms, which largely brought to an end late night Commons sittings, came into force in January.

But less than six months after the changes were made, MPs are lobbying to go back to the old arrangements.

Reid is currently "listening to the mood music" over the issue.

The leader of the Commons, who initially voted against the reforms, is said to be relaxed about the possibility of reconsidering the issue if MPs demand change.

Some MPs say the new "family-friendly" arrangements have worked against MPs who commute home on a daily basis.

Many who used to be able to see their children before the school day started now have to be in Westminster for committees and debates.

With Commons votes taking business through to 7.00pm, they say the reforms have brought no real benefit.

A Commons early day motion regretting the revised sitting hours and calling for a review of arrangements has been signed by 159 MPs.

One key change, for Tuesday's business to start at 11.30am, was only passed by seven votes when MPs made the changes in October last year.

It now appears certain that MPs will vote to return to 2.30pm sittings on Tuesdays in a vote which could come before the summer recess.

ePolitix.com has identified at least 14 MPs who supported the switch but who would now vote against the motion.

Labour MP Neil Gerrard told ePolitix.com: "If you had the vote again you would get a very different result. The MPs that used to be able to do the school run can't any more and because of votes or constituency commitments they still aren't getting home at 'normal times' so they haven't really gained."

"I used to do things in the constituency like school visits in the morning. That's all gone.

He also revealed some ministers are increasingly finding that their official work and the timing of government votes is making their schedules impossible.

"Some ministers have told me they are finding it a problem. In one sense it's good because they're not going home with red boxes still to do at 10.30pm but heavy government whipping on votes means they can't get out for more visits," Gerrard said.

Labour MP Alice Mahon, who has been a vocal critic of the changes, highlighted other problems.

"Too much is being compressed into too few hours. Parliament is dead at night now. And the public don't have as much access as they used to," she told ePolitix.

"I encourage schools to come to Westminster, particularly sixth forms and the visits really worked. Now I can only do that on a Monday."

"Access to ministers is now more restricted. You can't have the informal chats that you did before. There's a lot less networking and that's what politics is all about."

Mahon rejected the idea that working odd hours is unusual outside of Westminster.

"Factories run night shifts. I used to work nights in hospitals; so it's not true to say that it's not normal if you don't work nine to five."

Despite the growing resentment, Gerrard says it is unlikely that MPs will totally reverse the reforms.

"If you had a government with a small majority they would find it more difficult. But with things as they are it doesn't matter if you're a few short; the whips are more relaxed," he said.

"There's also the fact that a lot of MPs would not like being presented as Neanderthals for going back to the old ways."