DARWEN MP Janet Anderson wants to revolutionise Parliament - by reducing the length of its summer holiday!

Parliament's summer recess stretches out over four months and, although it gives Janet plenty of time to get back to her constituency, she reckons that the holiday is much too long.

Janet told me: "Taking four months off in one go is just ridiculous. When we were elected in May, we vowed to change a lot of things.

"As a result, we have a lot of legislation to get through each term. We could get through it a lot quicker and in more depth if we weren't away for so long.

"By reducing the length of the holiday, MPs could spend more time doing what they are paid to do - working for the country."

This year, MPs finished for the official recess on July 31 and are not due back until October 27. Approximately three weeks holiday is taken around Christmas, two weeks at Easter and a long weekend at Whitsuntide.

Mrs Anderson now wants to see the number of sitting days - the days spent in the House of Commons - increased so all the legislation can be pushed through.

In the last three years the number of sitting days has steadily declined. Between November 1994 and October 1995 the House sat for 159 days. Because of the election earlier this year the Commons sat for just 86 days.

That trend is set to be halted with a marathon session from October 27 in a bid to push through a vast amount of legislature

Mrs Anderson, one of the government whips, argues that the holiday is much too long. She said: "MPs have been kept busy this summer, but it can be very frustrating. What is, in effect, a four-month holiday is too long a time to take off all at once. If we reduce our holidays we will be seen to be working harder and doing better for Britain."

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