Parliament The House: Football break

A THREE-WEEK Christmas break was announced for MPs by Commons Leader, Margaret Beckett. The House will rise on 17 December and return on 11 January. The Lords rises the same day as the Commons but returns on 7 January.

Government Chief Whip, Lord Carter, making the announcement in the Lords, told peers: "Rumours that the House will sit on Boxing Day are completely untrue, not least because Southampton are playing Chelsea that day and I intend to be there."