Why do we wait until late March to put the clocks forward?

<span>Photograph: Maja Hitij/Getty Images</span>
Photograph: Maja Hitij/Getty Images

In the UK, the clocks go back by one hour in late October, seven to eight weeks before the winter solstice. However, they don’t go forward seven or eight weeks after the winter solstice in mid February. Instead we wait another six weeks, until late March. The amount of daylight by mid February (about 10 hours) is similar to that of late October. Why do we wait so much longer?
Mark Stephenson

Post your answers below (and new questions) or send them to nq@theguardian.com. A selection will be published on Friday.