It was recently announced that MPs will have a 12 week break for summer recess this year. Whilst not a holiday, recess is a time that MPs are away from Westminster, not debating and not legislating. This is one year longer than last year's recess.

Also, from day to day perspective, sitting hours have been noticeably shortened and a large number of MPs now go back to their continuencies on Thursday lunch times.

Does this mean that the Government, who set the Parliamentary timetable, have run out of ideas; or does it mean that the country is running so smoothly that Westminster is simply becoming more and more unecessary?