Jacob Rees-Mogg has defended “absolutely suitable” measures to extend the House of Commons Christmas recess by a week.

The Commons Leader said the expanded break would allow parliamentary officials to “recover” from their efforts to prepare for the one-day recall on Wednesday that enabled MPs to approve Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal with the EU.

Business in the chamber was due to fully resume post-Christmas on January 5 under measures previously supported by MPs.

But the Government tabled a motion to allow the recess to run until January 11, meaning the House will have been in recess for 23 of the 24 days over the Christmas and new year period.

It was approved by 335 votes to 212, majority 123.

Mr Rees-Mogg indicated Parliament could be recalled next week if “circumstances require it”.

He earlier praised the work of parliamentary officials and others to prepare for the recall to consider the European Union (Future Relationship) Bill as he justified the decision.

We do owe it to the officials, the professionals, the staff of this House who have worked over Christmas unceasingly to ensure the business was ready for December 31, that they should be allowed to have a week off to recover from that

Mr Rees-Mogg said: “Many staff will be working late into tonight once royal assent has been given to ensure the statutory instruments are available.

“And that is why I think the recess that has been put forward is absolutely suitable.

“MPs will be working in their constituencies, or should be working in their constituencies, should be tending to their constituents’ interests and seeking redress of grievance in ways outside this chamber.

“But I think we do owe it to the officials, the professionals, the staff of this House who have worked over Christmas unceasingly to ensure the business was ready for December 31, that they should be allowed to have a week off to recover from that.

“It’s not only just this last week but this House has sat an exceptionally long time in 2020, for 40 weeks, which is the highest since 2010.

“I am not saying it hasn’t been higher over a longer period but we’ve only checked back to 2010, the highest number of weeks that the House has sat.

“We didn’t have the conference recess and so the staff of this House have really come up trumps for us.”

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman earlier also said the move was in recognition of the fact that many MPs had had to work through Christmas to prepare for the recall of Parliament to ratify the EU trade deal.

Shadow education minister Wes Streeting said MPs should return to the Commons next week if teachers are being asked to go back to work.

Mr Streeting told the Commons: “Again the goalposts have been shifted today and headteachers, teachers and support staff also deserve a well-earned rest after a year of busting a gut for children and young people across the country.

“So can (Mr Rees-Mogg) understand why those staff who are being asked to return to work on Monday will look with horror and aghast at the fact that this House is proposing to give itself an extra week at the Government’s suggestion?”

Mr Rees-Mogg replied: “This House does not sit at the same times as schools – we have come back today.

“And as I said earlier, the fact that the House is not sitting does not mean MPs are not working. Members of Parliament ought to be working but we do have to think about the staff of this House and I think he is being unfair on them.

“The hours some members of staff have been working are really heroic and they have done this to make our democracy function. We should be proud of them and we should be praising them.”

Conservative former minister Nusrat Ghani also expressed concerns at the proposal.

Ms Ghani said: “The Leader is already aware of my concerns of the House not sitting next week. Of course, along with my colleagues, I will continue to represent and work with my constituents across Wealden, but I do that best when I am here in the House.

“Can the Leader confirm that the reason why the House is not sitting next week is because we need to protect the staff that enable this House to perform?

“And if that is the case, can the Leader work with all other authorities in the House to make sure we have enough resilience with staff and we use the best technology that we can so that we are not in this situation again?”

Mr Rees-Mogg replied: “With regard to the recess, no, I can’t agree to what (Ms Ghani) is saying.

“We have the right number of staff and the right number of expertise that you cannot duplicate, such fine figures as the clerk of the House – that is one person – and to have the inbuilt redundancy of having a sort of spare clerk of the House would be enormously expensive and, I think, very inefficient.

“We have to recognise that our staff are absolutely fantastic at taking on the extra load when that is necessary, but we mustn’t put that burden on when it is not necessary.”