A minister has suggested parents should use BBC Parliament to help their new born children fall asleep.

Liberal Democrat front-bencher Jo Swinson missed the early stages of the Consumer Rights Bill when it first appeared in the Commons as she was on maternity leave.

But the business minister told MPs she did tune in to BBC Parliament to listen to an early debate, adding it had a sleep-inducing effect on her son Andrew.

She said: "I am delighted to speak on the Consumer Rights Bill for the first time, a Bill whose development and gestation took far longer than my actual pregnancy.

"Although (shadow Business minister Stella Creasy) says I missed many a treat, she doesn't know that in fact I did watch the second reading of the Bill on BBC Parliament during my maternity leave although I had to use the pause function occasionally.

"It did seem to have a fairly soporific effect on my son so perhaps that's a tip to all new parents on the delights of BBC Parliament."