§ 51. Dr. WATTSasked the Prime Minister if, in the interests of the health of Members and the staff of the House, he will confer with the leaders of the Opposition with a view to coming to some arrangement which will obviate the necessity for frequent late sittings?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI doubt whether it is possible to do more than we are doing to avoid late night sittings. I much regret, that, on occasions, the exigencies of public business necessitate late sittings, but, in my opinion, these are of rarer occurrence than in former years.
§ Dr. WATTSIs the Prime Minister aware that there are many hon. Members in this House who are over 60 years of age to whom late sittings are a strain, and who require regular hours of sleep? Does he consider that it is advantageous to have our debates in the small hours of the morning?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI can assure the hon. Member that I feel a rapidly increasing sympathy with those hon. Members.
§ Mr. W. THORNEIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that in the time of Charles I the House met about 7 o'clock in the morning?