Member News
By Phillipa Silverman - 21st October 2010
MPs have hit out at the return of late-night sittings in the Commons which have been brought in to accommodate debates on the Parliamentary Voting Systems and Constituencies Bill.
During questions on future business this morning former Labour minister Fiona Mactaggart and Tory MP David Tredinnick urged the government to reconsider the sitting hours of the House of Commons.
The Commons usually rises at 10pm on Mondays and Tuesdays, 7pm on Wednesdays and 6pm on, followed by a half-hour adjournment debate.
MacTaggart (Slough) complained about the lengthening and unpredictability of the sitting hours of the Commons.
She said: "You will have noticed that last night we didn't move to the adjournment until 10.03.
"What are you going to do to make the hours of the House more predictable and family friendly?"
In response Sir George said the request clashed with other calls for more time to debate the Bill.
The Commons leader said that while debating the Parliamentary Voting Systems and Constituencies Bill, "injury time" had been allowed due to the number of statements taking place.
He said this would not be the pattern of the normal system and he hoped a regular routine would soon return.
Conservative MP David Tredinnick said that when changes were made to the sitting hours it had never been intended that the House would sit from morning through to the evenings.
He asked: "Would you consider re-introducing the morning Tuesday sittings and are you aware we have sat later in this Parliament as we did on any night in the 2005 Parliament?"
The Commons leader said it was "right" for MPs to look again at their hours as there has been a "substantial change" in membership since this was last visited.
Sir George said the Commons procedure committee would be holding an inquiry on sitting hours and the full parliamentary calendar.
He said there will be the opportunity to look "more radically" at how the Commons operates.
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