Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Tobias Ellwood and John Penrose

Monday 21st June 2010 Commons Chamber

[Mr Tobias Ellwood (Bournemouth East) (Con)]

16. What recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills on the introduction of single and double summer time.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport (John Penrose)]

I am delighted to confirm that, in line with my hon. Friend’s long campaign and, indeed, with the support of both the Liberal Democrats and the Labour party when it was in government, we are committed to examining this issue tremendously carefully, and I have already had conversations with my opposite numbers at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.

[Mr Ellwood]

Today is the longest day, and no one needs to be a visitor to Stonehenge or, indeed, a great reader of the Bournemouth Echo to realise that this is a very popular move that has cross-party support. Does my hon. Friend agree that the tourism industry at least would like such a change? Indeed, it has been calling for it for a number of years.