The Commons modernisation committee has called for minor changes to parliamentary sitting hours.

In a report published on Tuesday, the senior MPs suggested the only real change to present arrangements should be to sit an hour earlier on Thursdays.

The issue of sitting hours has been a contentious one since January 2003, when there was a move to end the practice of late night sittings.

Instead of working from 2.30pm to 10.00pm on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, the sitting hours for MPs now run from 11.30am to 7.00pm.

And at the same time, the Thursday sitting was shortened by an hour to conclude at 6.00pm rather than 7.00pm.

The reforms have meant more MPs leaving Westminster early on Thursday evening to return to their constituencies.

It has also meant committee meetings have been bunched together on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

Commons leader Peter Hain warned: "we are in danger of becoming a house of Commons that sits for only part of the week"

"That is why we are recommending, and I hope the house will support this, an additional hour on the Thursday that enables... a rebalancing of the week so we are working a full week and then going back to our constituencies on the Friday," he said.

Commons vote

The new arrangements are due to expire at the end of the present parliament, so over the coming months MPs will be given the chance to vote on whether to keep them or make further changes.

The modernisation committee said it hoped the new report would "inform the debate", which will take place in the next few weeks.

"Thursday is no longer used as much as it once was for substantial whipped business," said the report.

"As well as causing a 'bunching' of business in the chamber on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, this has tended to exacerbate clashes between standing committees, select committees, and the
chamber.

"The committee recommends lengthening the Thursday sitting by one hour, by sitting at 10.30am and keeping the current finish time for the main business of 6.00pm.

"This would restore the sitting day to sufficient length to take substantial business such as major second readings and Opposition days."

The report recommended the Commons should retain the current sitting hours on Mondays.

"We see some scope, however, for additional select committee activity late on Monday afternoons - although we recognise that it is for committees themselves to decide when to meet," said the report.

Tuesday controversy

Particularly heated debate has surrounded calls for changing the current sitting hours on Tuesdays.

MPs are divided on whether to revert to previous hours, keep the new hours or make other alterations to the parliamentary schedule.

The modernisation committee recommended keeping present arrangements, but said MPs should be able to vote on alternatives.

Shadow Commons leader Oliver Heald said there were "some good things" in the report.

But he said the committee, of which he is a member, was making a "desperate plea" about the retaining the Tuesday hours.

"If the house take the view that it is more convenient for the house to sit on Tuesday evenings then it should be able to do so," he said.

Hain said there were "deep feelings about Tuesday and there is a divided house on it".

"In the end the house will make the decision," he confirmed.

Recess doubts

The report also said that it "might be necessary" to re-examine the relationship between the parliamentary and academic years.

"We hope that it will be possible to ensure that the recesses correspond as closely as possible to the standard year, without disadvantaging unduly those members who live in LEA areas which have not adopted the new arrangements."

There was also recognition that the September sitting, when MPs return from summer recess before the party conferences, is "unpopular with many members".

But the committee warned the "prospect of a later sitting in July to compensate for its loss" was equally unpopular.

"The September sitting needs to be seen as part of a package which includes extra recess weeks at other times of the year and, in our view, can provide for a smoother and more efficient flow of parliamentary business throughout the year," said the report.

"There is no easy option of simply abolishing the September sitting without reducing commensurately the length of one or more of the other recesses."