Submission from Mr Mark Prisk MP
Further to your letter of 8 January 2004 I write
to add my voice to those which oppose the ill considered changes
in our hours. Far from being family friendly, they simply force
members to deal with constituency matters in the evenings when
previously we were able to deal with them first thing in the morning.
Given that many local organisations are unavailable at this time
of day, this is extremely unhelpful.
Much as I would probably, on principle, prefer
to revert to the old hours, I suspect that the most realistic
option is that the House should sit until 10.00 pm on Tuesdays
but retain the current arrangements on Wednesdays and Thursdays.
I do not support early hours but I suspect that this may be the
option which most Members are willing to endorse.
Separately, I am responding to a Questionnaire
from the Procedure Committee about the sitting hours and related
arrangements.
January 2004
| 
