§ 43. Mr. BarnesTo ask the Lord President of the Council if he will give the figures for the total lengths of recesses in each parliamentary Session since 1979; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. NewtonI refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Walsall, North (Mr. Winnick).
The table sets out sitting and non-sitting days since 1979.
Sitting and non-sitting days since 1979 (Calendar years) Sitting days Non-sitting days 1979 146 1107 1980 173 81 1981 177 76 1982 175 78 1983 154 199 1984 171 83 1985 171 82 1986 166 87 1987 150 1103 1988 173 81 1989 176 77 1990 176 77 1991 165 88 1992 148 1106 1993 165 88 Average 166 88 1 General election year. 500W
Sitting days (By session) Number of days 1979–80 244 1980–81 163 1981–82 174
Number of days 1982–83 115 1983–84 213 1984–85 172 1985–86 172 1986–87 109 1987–88 218 1988–89 175 1989–90 167 1990–91 160 1991–92 83 1992–93 240 Average 172 Note: It is assumed that weekends and bank holidays account for 112 days each year.