HL Deb 25 March 1969 vol 300 c1256WA
LORD BOOTHBY

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Why the House of Lords should not sit on Mondays, considering the present pressure of public business, and the lateness of the hours we have to keep.

LORD SHACKLETON

So far this Session the volume of Business has not called for Monday Sittings. For the period ending March 20, 1969, the House sat on five occasions after 10 p.m. For the comparable period last Session the House sat on seven such occasions. The total time sat this Session up to March 20 is 257 hours 5 minutes, and this compares with a total of 329 hours 47 minutes for the comparable period last Session, during which there were seven Monday Sittings.

The position after Easter, with important items of legislation expected from another place, will probably be different.