Sitting hours

18.3The number of hours for which the House can sit on each sitting day is determined by the arrangements set out in the preceding chapter. If the House transacted only the minimum business after the moment of interruption, then the number of hours sat in the Chamber each week, under the current standing orders, would be 32 hours (371/2 hours in weeks with a sitting Friday).

In some weeks the House sits for less than these hours, if the business finishes early. More usually, the Government's requirements for time to get its business through mean that in many weeks the Government on one or more days uses the methods provided in the standing orders for prolonging, with the agreement of the House, the amount of time which can be made available. But the regular use of the programming standing orders and the frequent passage of procedural motions to regulate non-legislative business has reduced significantly the pressure on the business of the House, leading to the House sitting fewer hours, compared to the late twentieth century.