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<p>The following information about decisions on the new security contract arrangements
was published in March 2014:</p><p>“In March 2015, the current contract with the Metropolitan
Police Service (MPS) to provide armed protection, policing and security officer functions
will expire. Over the last year, the Security Arrangements Renewal Programme (SARP)
Board has been working to analyse options and make a recommendation on new contract
arrangements to be introduced next year. That recommendation was endorsed by the Lords
House Committee and the Commons Commission.</p><p>The agreed recommendation is that
the two Houses should renegotiate with the MPS to continue to provide security officer
functions, armed protection and policing, whilst moving the provision of the search
and screening function for the three main public entrances (Black Rod's Garden, Cromwell
Green and Portcullis House) to a specialist commercial provider. The Clerk of the
House and the Clerk of the Parliaments have now written to the Metropolitan Police
Commissioner requesting new arrangements from 2015, and a commercial procurement for
search and screening will start soon.</p><p>This is a major contract for Parliament,
both in terms of its financial value and its central role in ensuring the security
of parliamentarians, employees and visitors to the Parliamentary Estate. As well as
continuing to benefit from the expertise and experience of the Metropolitan Police
officers and staff, new search and screening arrangements at the busiest public entrances
will be better able to provide the greater flexibility and scalability needed to meet
Parliament's changing requirements for public access”.</p><p>Discussions with the
Metropolitan Police Service on future arrangements are continuing. Security matters
are not discussed on the floor of the House and the House Committee has agreed to
the initial approach taken by the Security Arrangements Renewal Programme Board. That
Committee will be further consulted during the process. I have no plans to initiate
a debate on the floor of the House.</p>
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