Bermudian MPs from both sides of the House have called for an end to all night sessions.

At Thursday's commonwealth seminar UK representative Alun Cairns revealed that there was a 5.30 p.m. cut off in the Welsh Assembly where he worked.

The idea of family-friendly hours met with approval from Bermuda delegates to the conference.

PLP backbencher Derrick Burgess said: "I think the hours of parliament should be curtailed. I don't think anybody is at their best debating at one or two o'clock in the morning.

"In Wales they stop at 5.30 p.m. because when you are enacting legislation for the country you should be at your best.

"A fatigued man or woman is not at their best at one or two o'clock in the morning. We are human also.'' The United Bermuda Party's Patricia Gordon-Pamplin said: "Because of the way our parliament works we sit from 10 a.m. until the business of the day is finished and it can go until 8 a.m. the next day.

"Having family friendly hours with a certain amount of flexibility struck me as interesting.

"If we can go to maybe 10 p.m. or for that matter sit more frequently, because you get diminishing returns after a certain hour.

"I start to wake up when it gets later but I have seen other members absolutely fade once it gets past midnight and be totally ineffective. This goes for both sides.

"In addition we have had situations where the Government whip has made statements like `don't say anymore because it's late enough' and `we have talked enough about this'. It tends to stifle debate when people are tired.'' UBP Education spokesman Tim Smith said the pressure of the current Assembly working hours was more intense on younger members who were trying to raise a family.

He said: "If they wish to attract younger members who probably have a significant contribution to make they will have to change the operating hours.

"Our legislative agenda is not that heavy we could probably meet once a week but if it is heavy we could meet twice a week.

"A balance should be struck but when there is clear pressure when you have a debate with no timetable at all because a father or mother can't even make plans for home life, you are at the mercy of the debate.

"In business you go to a reasonable hour and then you would agree to reconvene. It needs common sense.'' PLP backbencher Delaey Robinson said: "The hours are a bit unavoidable if we are to restrict ourselves to once a week.

"There's a lot of business to get through but probably the best way to deal with that is to go to more than one meeting a week.

"If you look at our debates there are not that many debates that go late so it's not much of a problem.

"But I think the House should set the example and this is my personal opinion coming from the National Committee for the Rights of the Child that Parliament should lead the way by having a creche for children. Mr. Burgess also suggested it might be time for Bermudian House of Assembly members to get the secretarial help which is common in other parliaments.

"From what I hear from these conferences their parliamentarians get a fund to take care of staff,'' he said.