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To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker whether catering and retail staff members of the House of Lords receive the full amount of any "tip" given to them when paid by debit card.
To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker whether catering and retail staff members of the House of Lords receive the full amount of any "tip" given to them when paid by debit card.
The Senior Deputy Speaker has asked me, as Chair of the Services Committee, to respond on his behalf. The full amount of any tip paid by debit card, or any other form of payment, is distributed amongst Catering and Retail staff, less a deduction for Employer’s National Insurance at the appropriate rate.
Gratuity payments are made to staff via the payroll, therefore a deduction for tax and Employee’s National Insurance is made at the relevant rate.
Any administration charges linked to payments via credit or debit cards are not deducted from the gratuity amount.
To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker what was the cost of this year's refurbishment of the House of Lords' River Restaurant.
To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker what was the cost of this year's refurbishment of the House of Lords' River Restaurant.
The Senior Deputy Speaker has asked me, as Chair of the Services Committee, to respond on his behalf. A full refurbishment of the seating area, fridges and payment stands in the River Restaurant was carried out in September and October 2019. The new design has increased the number of available seats by four and improved the accessibility and flow of the area.
The costs for this project are laid out below:
Enabling and redecoration works: £35,000
Equipment and fittings: £83,207
Total Cost of Project: £118,207
To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker whether appropriate disposal bins are provided in the male toilets on the Parliamentary Estate for the disposal of stoma and other continence and personal care products.
To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker whether appropriate disposal bins are provided in the male toilets on the Parliamentary Estate for the disposal of stoma and other continence and personal care products.
The Senior Deputy Speaker has asked me, as Chairman of the Services Committee, to respond on his behalf.
Clinical waste bins (which are suitable for the disposal of continence products) are currently provided in all accessible toilets in the House of Lords (Palace of Westminster, Millbank House and Old Palace Yard) where space provides, with an additional one situated in the male Peers’ shower / toilet room on the Ground Floor West Front.
Separately, feminine hygiene bins are provided in all female, accessible and unisex toilets in the House of Lords.
To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker what plans they have, if any, to enable the charging of electric vehicles in the House of Lords carpark.
To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker what plans they have, if any, to enable the charging of electric vehicles in the House of Lords carpark.
The Senior Deputy Speaker has asked me, as Chairman of the Services Committee, to respond on his behalf.
The Services Committee considered the possibility of introducing electric vehicle charging (EVC) points at its meeting on 14 March 2019. The Committee declined to agree a proposal to introduce EVC points to the House of Lords. Although the Committee recognised the benefits, it did not believe it was the appropriate time to implement the scheme.
Amongst other factors, the Committee considered the location and impact of the EVC points, the longevity of the proposed installation of charging points, which risked being decommissioned when Restoration and Renewal commenced, the need for a long term vision for EVC across the Estate, and concerns that the proposal did not provide value for money.
To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker, following action taken by Her Majesty's Government to convert some communal toilets in visitor and office facilities from single-sex to gender-neutral, what plans he has, if any, to reassign some or all of the toilets on the Principal Floor of the House of Lords...
To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker, following action taken by Her Majesty's Government to convert some communal toilets in visitor and office facilities from single-sex to gender-neutral, what plans he has, if any, to reassign some or all of the toilets on the Principal Floor of the House of Lords...
The Senior Deputy Speaker has asked me, as Chairman of the Services Committee, to respond on his behalf.
In total, there are three gender-neutral toilets located on the Principal Floor of the House of Lords; two on the West Front Corridor and one by the Salisbury Room. Currently there are no plans to increase the number of gender-neutral toilets on the Principal Floor.
To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker what assessment he has made of smoking on the Lords’ Terrace.
To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker what assessment he has made of smoking on the Lords’ Terrace.
The Senior Deputy Speaker has asked me, as Chairman of the Services Committee, to respond on his behalf. Smoking is permitted on the Lords’ Terrace in the designated smoking area adjacent to the House of Commons and on the Peers’ smoking table, which is located near the top of the ramp and is currently outside the designated smoking area. The Services Committee will consider a paper on this matter at its meeting in June.
To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker what assessment has been made of the fire risk to the Parliamentary Archives; and whether consideration is being given to moving them to fire-proof premises.
To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker what assessment has been made of the fire risk to the Parliamentary Archives; and whether consideration is being given to moving them to fire-proof premises.
The Senior Deputy Speaker has asked me, as Chairman of the Services Committee, to respond on his behalf.
The last fire risk assessment for Victoria Tower was carried out in 2016. It highlighted several fire safety issues, the majority of which have been dealt with as part of the Fire Safety Improvement Works Programme. This included the upgrade of the fire detection, new fire escape signage, emergency escape lighting and fire doors. There is also inherent fire compartmentation within the tower with the floors providing at least 30 minutes separation between the different levels. The fire risk assessment is scheduled for a review following the recent works and any issues highlighted in this review will be addressed.
Planning work is being undertaken to move the Parliamentary Archives ahead of Restoration and Renewal of the Palace, under the auspices of the Archives Accommodation Programme. The programme is developing requirements and designs for a range of options. The designs will take into account all known fire risks and will meet the necessary British Standards, both for fire mitigation and for archival storage, care and use of such important heritage collections.
To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker, following the Notre Dame fire, what steps are being taken to ensure that the current plans for detecting and extinguishing fires in the roof space of the Palace of Westminster are adequate.
To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker, following the Notre Dame fire, what steps are being taken to ensure that the current plans for detecting and extinguishing fires in the roof space of the Palace of Westminster are adequate.
My Lords, I feel sure that the whole House will recognise the importance of this Question and endorse that we are the current custodians of this remarkable building and have a duty to do all we can to pass it safely on to future generations. That said, there are no automatic smoke detection systems—
My Lords, I feel sure that the whole House will recognise the importance of this Question and endorse that we are the current custodians of this remarkable building and have a duty to do all we can to pass it safely on to future generations. That said, there are no automatic smoke detection systems—
My Lords, I feel sure that the whole House will recognise the importance of this Question and endorse that we are the current custodians of this remarkable building and have a duty to do all we can to pass it safely on to future generations. That said, there are no automatic smoke detection systems—
To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker, following the Notre Dame fire, what steps are being taken to ensure that the current plans for detecting and extinguishing fires in the roof space of the Palace of Westminster are adequate.
Sorry; I should do this more often, should I not? There are automatic smoke detection systems in most of the roof spaces across the Palace and coverage of the remaining spaces will be completed during December 2019. There is no automatic system for extinguishing fires in the roof space of the Palace, but the roof space is compartmentalised to prevent the spread of fire. The fire safety team regularly patrols the Palace.
Sorry; I should do this more often, should I not? There are automatic smoke detection systems in most of the roof spaces across the Palace and coverage of the remaining spaces will be completed during December 2019. There is no automatic system for extinguishing fires in the roof space of the Palace, but the roof space is compartmentalised to prevent the spread of fire. The fire safety team regularly patrols the Palace.
To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker, following the Notre Dame fire, what steps are being taken to ensure that the current plans for detecting and extinguishing fires in the roof space of the Palace of Westminster are adequate.
My Lords, this is a very important question. We are of course anxious to learn lessons from Notre Dame, as we are from other heritage buildings. We should be clear that all heritage buildings carry the potential for very serious fires. First, in this building there is an assumption that if a smoke detector is activated, it has to be inspected immediately—there is no assumption that it is a false alarm. Secondly, the procedure is to tackle fire from within the building rather than to wait until it goes up. The noble Lord is quite right: when it goes up, very serious issues are
raised, not only of getting water up to the roof—although there are systems to do that—but because it means that the fire has taken serious control.
My Lords, this is a very important question. We are of course anxious to learn lessons from Notre Dame, as we are from other heritage buildings. We should be clear that all heritage buildings carry the potential for very serious fires. First, in this building there is an assumption that if a smoke detector is activated, it has to be inspected immediately—there is no assumption that it is a false alarm. Secondly, the procedure is to tackle fire from within the building rather than to wait until it goes up. The noble Lord is quite right: when it goes up, very serious issues are
raised, not only of getting water up to the roof—although there are systems to do that—but because it means that the fire has taken serious control.
I am very grateful to the noble Lord for that comprehensive reply. We all love this place, and when I saw Notre Dame go up in smoke a week or so ago, my first thoughts were that it could happen to us here. I am really pleased we were told that there are smoke detectors in most areas of the roof space. I think the Minister said that that work will be completed by the end of this year. My question is: when smoke is detected, how do you put the fire out? We have seen from initial reports of the Notre Dame fire that, within less than half an hour of smoke being found, there was an inferno in the roof. It seemed to me that the only way it could be put out was with canons of water landing on the roof, but of course that does not work—the roof is designed to keep the water out until it falls down and causes a fire below. Therefore, can we look at a way of installing more extinguishing medium in the roof space to deal with such fires, if and when they occur, which obviously we hope they will not?
Noble Lords will know about the arrangements for taking forward the R&R programme. All I can add at this stage is that the fire at Notre Dame ought to be a spur to all of us to get on and implement the R&R programme. It includes well-developed systems, and I feel sure that we will hear more about it in due course.
Noble Lords will know about the arrangements for taking forward the R&R programme. All I can add at this stage is that the fire at Notre Dame ought to be a spur to all of us to get on and implement the R&R programme. It includes well-developed systems, and I feel sure that we will hear more about it in due course.
My Lords, does the Lord Chairman accept that the earlier we can bring forward the decanting, the better it will be for the safety of the building? Will he therefore ensure that we look very carefully at Sir Michael Hopkins’s realistic proposal for putting the Chamber of the other place in Portcullis House, which Sir Michael himself was the architect of? If, in addition, we had a temporary structure on the embankment gardens, the two Chambers could be moved far more quickly than under the current proposals.
My Lords, a huge amount of work has been undertaken during the past three years. I am not rehearsed on all of it but it includes more than 700 fire doors, improving compartmentalisation within the building and improving ways of getting people out of the building should there be a threat of fire. However, there is more to be done. We have managed to get water sprinklers in the basement, which is probably the most vulnerable area of the building, and we will continue with the programme in many ways. I will not go through all of them but a substantial work programme is already in place.
My Lords, a huge amount of work has been undertaken during the past three years. I am not rehearsed on all of it but it includes more than 700 fire doors, improving compartmentalisation within the building and improving ways of getting people out of the building should there be a threat of fire. However, there is more to be done. We have managed to get water sprinklers in the basement, which is probably the most vulnerable area of the building, and we will continue with the programme in many ways. I will not go through all of them but a substantial work programme is already in place.
My Lords, I am really pleased to hear the noble Lord the Chairman of the Services Committee say that the fire service inside the Palace does not accept the concept of a false alarm. That is very reassuring, but it is not what happened at Notre Dame. Will the House join me in thanking the excellent team of fire safety officers who patrol the Palace 24 hours a day? One problem at Notre Dame was the lack of sprinklers. In recent renovations at St Patrick’s Cathedral in New York, sprinklers have been installed and old beams have been painted with fire retardant. What plans are currently under way for us to do that here at the Palace of Westminster to provide extra security?
My Lords, I am extremely grateful for that question because, as colleagues will know, a large number of contractors are on the site all the time. The fire officer has a procedure with all contractors
that they must ensure compliance with the most rigorous standards, including the kind of detail to which the noble Earl has referred. But we should never be complacent. We must go on learning the lessons, especially in this special building.
My Lords, I am extremely grateful for that question because, as colleagues will know, a large number of contractors are on the site all the time. The fire officer has a procedure with all contractors
that they must ensure compliance with the most rigorous standards, including the kind of detail to which the noble Earl has referred. But we should never be complacent. We must go on learning the lessons, especially in this special building.
My Lords, has the noble Lord the Chairman of the Services Committee read as I have the press reports that suggested hot works were the root cause of the fire at Notre Dame? Can he assure the House that the hot works procedures followed in this House are of the very safest type and, in particular, that workmen remain on-site for at least two hours after hot works have ceased?
My Lords, this is a very serious matter. The roof space in Westminster Hall is very precious, as we know. I am pleased to report that we have now managed to get an alarm system in place in that part of the building. The R&R programme will have to address a whole range of issues, and this will be a key one. But we need to be clear that it will not be a simple matter to put a sprinkler system in that part of the building.
My Lords, this is a very serious matter. The roof space in Westminster Hall is very precious, as we know. I am pleased to report that we have now managed to get an alarm system in place in that part of the building. The R&R programme will have to address a whole range of issues, and this will be a key one. But we need to be clear that it will not be a simple matter to put a sprinkler system in that part of the building.
My Lords, I am grateful for the very informative Answer that the noble Lord gave. I am sure we are all glad to know that there are smoke alarms in the roof space. But I have to say I am surprised—indeed shocked—that in an area so vulnerable to conflagration there is no sprinkler system. Can he explain why there is no sprinkler system? I am rather sceptical about the argument that compartmentalisation is the answer to vulnerability—that was the case on the “Titanic”.
To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker what was the total cost of the production of Issue 1 of the House of Lords Library magazine The Library, published in April; and what estimate he has made of the future costs of the publication of that magazine.
To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker what was the total cost of the production of Issue 1 of the House of Lords Library magazine The Library, published in April; and what estimate he has made of the future costs of the publication of that magazine.
The total cost of production for issue 1 of the House of Lords Library Magazine The Library published in April was £2,642.50 plus VAT (template and printing). The magazine is available in print and digitally, and the cost of future issues will therefore depend upon the demand for printed copies. Likely subscriber numbers indicate a cost for printing of £185 plus VAT per issue, and it is expected that The Library will be published approximately nine times per year.
To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker when the restoration works on the two large Maclise paintings in the Royal Gallery will be completed.
To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker when the restoration works on the two large Maclise paintings in the Royal Gallery will be completed.
The Senior Deputy Speaker has asked me, as Chairman of the Services Committee, to respond on his behalf. The conservation of the wall paintings ‘Trafalgar’ and ‘Waterloo’ will be completed this year. Phase 3 of the programme is currently underway (4-22 Feb inclusive), and subject to permissions, Phase 4 (final phase) will be booked for October 2019 and will complete the conservation treatment. Discussions are ongoing regarding possible future work on adjustments to the lighting of the wall paintings to further improve their presentation.
To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker how many items of correspondence were received in the Palace of Westminster in 2018; and of those, how many were received in the House of Lords.
To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker how many items of correspondence were received in the Palace of Westminster in 2018; and of those, how many were received in the House of Lords.
The Senior Deputy Speaker has asked me, as Chairman of the Services Committee, to respond on his behalf. In total, 1,519,939 items of mail were received on the Parliamentary Estate in 2018. The destination of mail is not recorded but it is estimated that approximately 30 per cent of these items were destined for the House of Lords. These figures do not include parcels, courier items or internal mail.
To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker how long the lights in Millbank House will be permanently switched on without any means to switch them off.
To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker how long the lights in Millbank House will be permanently switched on without any means to switch them off.
The Senior Deputy Speaker has asked me as Chairman of the Services Committee, to respond on his behalf. Problems have been experienced with the lighting system installed in 1 Millbank. It appears that the controlling software has been corrupted, resulting in some users being unable to turn on or turn off particular lighting units. A solution is being urgently sought.