House of Commons - Modernisation of the House of Commons

Select Committee on Modernisation of the House of Commons First Report

CONSTRAINTS ON REFORM

28. In any reform of the Parliamentary calendar, whether of the sitting weeks or of the sitting hours, there are various constraints which might limit - or might be held to limit - the opportunities for change. The main factors which need at any rate to be taken into account before proposals for change are brought forward are outlined below.

National holidays and school holidays

29. At present the national holidays are as follows:

(a) Easter: a four day holiday with the timing variable (assuming that the Easter Act 1928 is never implemented) but known in advance

(b) Early May bank holiday: first Monday in May

(d) August bank holiday: first Monday in August in Scotland, last Monday in August in England, Wales and Northern Ireland

(e) Christmas Day and Boxing Day

(f) New Year's Day (and in Scotland 2 January)

17 March and 12 July are holidays in Northern Ireland.

The presumption is that the House will not sit on these days (although it normally does on the two Northern Ireland holidays) and that adjournments are normally linked to these holidays (although the early May holiday has hitherto been regarded as a single day off only). There are also traditional local holiday periods in certain parts of the country, but it would be difficult to take all these into account.

30. The exact dates of school holidays are a matter of local choice, but in principle there is a reasonably standard pattern. In England and Wales terms are normally as follows:

In Scotland and parts of northern England the summer term ends, and the autumn term begins, about a month earlier.

31. So far as half-terms are concerned, again there is a reasonably standard practice in England and Wales. The autumn half-term is normally the last week in October (the week in fact that the House resumed last year), the spring half-term is normally in the middle of February, and the summer half-term at the end of May. Only the last coincides to any extent with Parliamentary adjournments, although the earlier prorogation break at the end of October which used to be more common sometimes did coincide with the autumn half- term.

Party conferences

32. The three main party conferences are almost invariably held in the last week of September and the first two weeks of October. The Jopling Committee found that firm bookings for the conferences were made for several years ahead. The House will not expect to meet during these three weeks, although some Select Committees have, by agreement, done so occasionally.

The Parliamentary works programme

33. The Parliamentary estate is such that every year an immense amount of work has to take place involving both major redevelopments and essential maintenance. Under the present timetable almost all of this work takes place in the summer adjournment, when there is almost invariably major disruption. Any shortening or splitting of the summer adjournment will clearly affect the works programme. This has been particularly the case in recent years when major works have been planned.

Tours of the Palace

34. One argument which has often been adduced against regular morning sittings on Tuesdays and Thursdays was the effect it would have on access by the public, and particularly Members' parties, to the Line of Route. We have more to say about this later in this Report.

Pressure on Ministers &c.

35. The argument has been adduced that neither a change in the weeks of sitting nor a change in the hours of sitting would be possible or desirable because of the effect that it would have on already burdened Ministers. So far as the Parliamentary year is concerned it is said that Ministers need a regular sustained period of the year when they can concentrate on the work of their Departments without the distractions of Parliamentary business; at present September and early October meet this need. It is also alleged that morning sittings are undesirable since Ministers should be able to be in their Departments rather than in the House, or, if not in their Departments, making Ministerial visits.

36. There is considerable validity in some of these arguments, but on the face of it, the number of extra Ministers required actually in the Chamber for a morning sitting would be relatively few in comparison with those already attending standing and select committees. Different considerations would of course apply if votes were to take place at morning sittings. It is in order to reduce the likelihood of a division that the debates which are held at the present morning sittings on Wednesdays take place on a motion for the adjournment of the House. As regards the Parliamentary year a redistribution of the weeks in which the House does not sit would still enable Ministers to spend time in their Departments as they do at present.

Members' correspondence &c.

37. At present many Members use the mornings to spend time dealing with constituency business and correspondence. If substantive business were taken in the Chamber in the mornings Members would be drawn away from their offices, and it would be necessary to find some other period within the conventional working day when Members could work with their staff and meet their constituents.

Parliamentary delegations