Commons MPs divided over reform of working hours to aid parents

MPs tasked with modernising parliament are divided over family-friendly hours, with some lobbying for shorter days to return home to children and others hoping for shorter periods away from their constituencies.

- Jessica Elgot

Working hours will be one of a number of areas examined by the Commons modernisation committee. The others include driving up standards and culture, and methods of voting in parliament.

The divide over working hours has opened up a key difference among many new MPs with young families between those raising their children in London and those whose main home is their constituency.

Those whose family home is within commuting distance from London would prefer parliament's sitting hours to start and finish earlier so they can return in time to see their children.

Those whose children are based in constituencies further away - where travel time is significant - would prefer longer sitting hours earlier in the week so they can return to do their constituency business for half of the week.