The clocks change tonight - maybe for the last time

The clocks go back an hour from 2am on Sunday, which means many of us will enjoy an extra sixty minutes in bed tomorrow morning.

But if you live in England and Wales, they many not go forward again in March if a group of MPs and academics get their way. They argue a permanent switch to central European time will benefit public health and give children more time to exercise after school, as there will be an extra hour of light in the evenings.

Tom Mullarkey, the chief executive of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, called for the change in a letter to William Hague, the Times (£) reports. He said that such a move could save 80 lives per yer and more than 200 injuries in road accidents.

If MPs do decide on such a change, it is likely to only be for England and Wales. Scotland has long been opposed to the move on the grounds it would mean much darker mornings for many of its residents. A move to central European time would mean the sun would not rise until 10:00am in some northern parts of Scotland.

AA president Edmund King backed Mullarkey, and suggested England and Wales could change their timezone without Scotland. "Our view is that it would be best if it was changed in England and Wales to see the benefits and then the Scots can decide for themselves."

More: Laziness kills and you probably can't be bothered to read this to find out why