Political Developments

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 10:30 am on 7 December 1990.

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Photo of Harriet Harman Harriet Harman Shadow Spokesperson (Health) 10:30, 7 December 1990

It is always difficult to balance home and work and to balance one part of work against another—but late-night sittings are ridiculous. We should make the House more businesslike and work normal hours and then try to sort out other matters around that.

There is nothing immovable or God-given about our hours. I reassure hon. Members that the pillars of the temple will not fall down if we change those hours. It will not mean the end of society as we know it; civilisation will not crumble away. It will be all right.

I said all this to an hon. Member who is deeply opposed to changing our hours and he said, "We are not going to do it. You will be an old woman, Harriet, before it happens." We are not prepared to wait. Why should we still wait for the House to move into the 21st century?

It is time that we were more businesslike and more representative; it is time that we had procedures that were understood by people outside the House as well as by us.