The Office of the Speaker said on Friday it looked forward to the introduction of further family-friendly measures in the House following the introduction of earlier hours for Wednesday sittings.

As from two days ago, Wednesday sittings started to be held between 4pm and 7.30pm on a trial basis, instead of between 6pm and 9.30pm. The hope is that the new schedule will also be extended to other sittings, on Mondays and Tuesdays, so that MPs and parliamentary staff can return home at a time when their young children are still awake.

The Office of the Speaker said another measure already in the pipeline is the opening, later this year, of a childcare centre within the House. 

Other measures which are under consideration in Malta and in parliaments abroad include dedicated rooms for breastfeeding and nappy changing, fixed days for voting in the House and further changes to the timetable, so that one could have earlier and longer but less frequent sittings.

The Office said it was hoped that these measures, plus the possible introduction of full-time MPs would encourage more women to stand for election.