Changing the clocks twice a year is a ludicrous waste of time in the 24/7 21st century. Keeping to BST for the whole year would be the best balance for all groups throughout England. I have a strong internal body clock, so find the change difficult and stressful. This year I am blissfully serene - with no schoolchildren in the house any more I have simply left my clocks on BST, or as I call it 'Natural Time'. We have one radio-controlled clock in the house which has reset itself to 'Government Time', so my husband can ensure he doesn't get to work an hour early. I am angry that people will lose their lives because the Government insists on making schoolchildren walk home in the dark, but until they see sense and do the right thing, I, at least, am now happy. For anyone who thinks that having a different personal time zone to the Government time will cause problems, I can say having lived in a continent with several different time zones, that it really isn't a problem

J Cooper, Newcastle upon Tyne,

I don't care which time system we're on, as long as we don't have to spend an hour changing all the clocks, watches & various devices, every 6 months. What a palava!

Pete C, Birkenhead, UK

If Scotland still want the clocks to go back then let them go their own way. Here in Engand, I don't know anybody who thinks putting the clocks back is a good idea. Everybody would much rather have more light in the evening, than the morning. The environmental savings outlined about speak for themselves. Let's stop this frankly absurd tradition as soon as possible, and allow the vast majority of people to make the most of the daylight hours.

GP, Manchester,

The UK has enough problems with dull weather and grey wet skies. How could it get any worse, I know - let's set the clocks back in October to make it even more miserable. CHANGE THIS RIDICULOUS SYSTEM AND DO IT NOW. Scottish farmers can have an extra hour in bed in the winter, then get up early in summer. How difficult is that?

Stefano Ricci, London, UK

The safety of school children on their way to & from school is surely the most compelling argument to stay on British Summer time (GMT +1) for the winter.
Yes, there is only the same number of daylight hours, but the evidence from the 1968 -71 experiment shows that fewer accidents occur to children under this regime. It is quite obvious too, if you think about it. When they go to school in the dark, they are usualy traveling by car or bus, but even if walking will be "on a mission" to get there on time. In contrast, when coming home after school in the dark they will be travelling more casualy, may be larking about with friends, and more of them will be tired and less attentive. This is when accidents happen.
When you add in the recent findings with regard to energy saving the case becomes even more compelling.
I personally think we should pick a time & stick to it all year round, and there may be a good case for going to GMT+2.
If the Scotts want to stay on GMT, then let them!

Keith Obbard, Groombridge, East Sussex

The entire world sets its clocks by GMT. It would be entirely wrong to move away for this. If people have a problem they should get up earlier, adjusting themselves to the clock and not the other way round. It would be far simpler for schools and businesses to start and finish earlier than faff around with changing the clocks all the time.

HC, LONDON, UK

I totally agree with Elizabeth' Garnsey's study. This government claims to be a green party, yet it continues to return us to GMT in late October each year resulting in the rise of carbon dioxide emissions as well as 450 serious injuries on the roads and many child deaths. It's a crazy price to pay just to keep a dwindling number of Scottish farmers happy. I am a Scottish schoolteacher and I would welcome this proposed change with open arms. (and so would many others north of the border).
Anyone who prefers putting the clocks back to GMT certainly does not care much about environmental issues.
(Not to mention keeping children out of hospitals and coffins)
John Macnab, Troon, Scotland

John Macnab, Troon, South Ayrshire, Scotland

Pathetic. Why change the clocks in the summer anyway? The fact is that the further you go from the equator the shorter the days get in winter. There is no more daylight available and changing the clocks does nothing about it. Whatever you do you're going to have darkness either at the end of the day or at the beginning of the day and this will mean more energy consumption and more risk of "accidents".
Why not tell everyone to stay at home when it's dark (preferably all year round) and not run any risks at all and minimize energy consumtion that way?
Just another example of interfering busybodies with nothing better to do trying to tell ordinary people how to run their own lives.

John, Exeter, England

Basic time anywhere should be based on longitude, so logically UK should be on GMT, with an hour ahead in summer if required.

Ian Smith, Sotogrande, Spain

We should just leave the clocks at GMT and get on with our lives. Fatuous intellectualism has come up with all sorts of time zone theories and none of them work. So keep it simple. And please, don't change just to come in line with europe. They are much further east of us and need a different zone(s).

Mike Poulsen, Reading, Berkshire

I nver understood why we do this. Wasn't it the Sctos who demanded it?

Well. They are a separate nation now ....

Pete Balchin, Solicitor , Bristol, UK