Supplementary submission from Rt Hon Ann
Widdicombe MP
Thank you for your letter of 29 June 2004.
My own belief is that the earlier sittings of
the House have not been a success.
I am sure that many colleagues will make points
about clashes with committees etc but I would simply point out
that some Members have been badly disadvantaged and very few Members
can have derived any advantage at all.
Members who will have suffered disadvantage
are those like me who, having constituencies within easy reach
of London, have hitherto been able to spend the morning in their
constituencies but return in time for the beginning of business
at 2.30 pm. With the changes in hours, such Members have not been
able to be in their constituencies in the morning and back in
time for the commencement of business at 11.30 am. Further, there
is no compensation in terms of the evening because with voting
commencing at 7.00 pm no such Member is likely to be in his or
her constituency much before 9.00 pm which is too late for meetings,
long after schools and businesses have closed and generally quite
pointless.
Members with farther flung constituencies will
not be affected one way or another. The only Members who will
have benefited are those who have inner London constituencies
and families to whom they may return in time to see children.
I will be very interested to know how the statistics
add up.
I would be grateful if this could be taken into
account and I wish you success with your review.
July 2004
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