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1701617

	registered interest
	date	16/04/2024
	answering body	The Senior Deputy Speaker
	answering dept id	204
	answering dept short name
	answering dept sort name	Senior Deputy Speaker (HoL)
	hansard heading	Parliamentary Estate: Telephone Systems
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker on which dates and at what times the failure of the Polycom telephone system on the parliamentary estate started and ended, and why it took so long for the system to be restored.
	tabling member printed	Lord Marlesford
	uin	HL3848
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/04/2024 answer text <p>The Senior Deputy Speaker has asked me, as Chair of the Services Committee, to respond on his behalf. The Parliamentary Digital Service (PDS) were made aware of a potential issue affecting Polycom telephone handsets, used with the Microsoft telephone service (MS Teams) on Friday 12th April 2024. Following a thorough investigation, a root cause was identified and resolved on Tuesday 16th April 2024. Restoration of service following a major telephony incident depends on third parties. The Voice Programme is upgrading and replacing the existing telephony infrastructure with a streamlined and less complex support arrangement. PDS are expecting to rollout the service over the summer 2024.</p> answering member printed Baroness McIntosh of Hudnall question first answered 30/04/2024 11:23:16 answering member 2506 label Biography information for Baroness McIntosh of Hudnall
	tabling member	1854 label Biography information for Lord Marlesford

1701618

	registered interest
	date	16/04/2024
	answering body	The Senior Deputy Speaker
	answering dept id	204
	answering dept short name
	answering dept sort name	Senior Deputy Speaker (HoL)
	hansard heading	Parliamentary Estate: Telephone Systems
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker on what date at what cost to public funds the Polycom telephone system was installed on the parliamentary estate, and whether Siemens was invited to tender for this contract.
	tabling member printed	Lord Marlesford
	uin	HL3849
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/04/2024 answer text <p>The Senior Deputy Speaker has asked me, as Chair of the Services Committee, to respond on his behalf. In 2016, a procurement process was completed adhering to EU procurement regulations (OJEU) for a unified communications solution to replace the previous telephone system which was end of life and could no longer be supported or maintained. This restricted OJEU process was open to all vendors. Siemens (Unify) made an initial application but were not taken through to stage two of the process to tender.</p><p>The cost of the Skype for Business Programme, which included key steps in Parliament’s transition from a copper wire telephone system to Voice over Internet Protocol, was £8.3 million and included the cost of the Polycom handsets currently in use. Implementation of the Polycom handsets began in November 2017.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness McIntosh of Hudnall question first answered 30/04/2024 11:22:33 answering member 2506 label Biography information for Baroness McIntosh of Hudnall
	tabling member	1854 label Biography information for Lord Marlesford

1701619

	registered interest
	date	16/04/2024
	answering body	The Senior Deputy Speaker
	answering dept id	204
	answering dept short name
	answering dept sort name	Senior Deputy Speaker (HoL)
	hansard heading	Parliamentary Estate: Telephone Systems
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker whether the Parliamentary Digital Service plans to replace the Polycom telephone system on the parliamentary estate and, if so, what is the budget for this project.
	tabling member printed	Lord Marlesford
	uin	HL3850
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/04/2024 answer text <p>The Senior Deputy Speaker has asked me, as Chair of the Services Committee, to respond on his behalf. The Voice Programme has been set up to address service quality and user experience priorities regarding telephony in Parliament. The programme’s high-level benefits include increasing business resilience and value for money and improving customer experience across telephony services. The programme is upgrading and replacing the existing telephony infrastructure (a combination of on premise MS Teams and Skype for Business) and has completed procurement of a unified communications service, to be implemented later this year, that will deliver resilient telephony. Initially, the new service is expected- to re-utilise the existing Polycom telephone handsets, however, replacement telephone handsets will be introduced as part of product lifecycle replacement.</p><p>The House of Lords Services Committee, the House of Commons Administration Committee and the Business Resilience Board are being consulted on implementation plans for the new service.</p><p>The Investment Committee and Accounting Officers have approved a business case for the Voice Programme which has an approved whole life cost of £6.37m. These costs cover implementation, programme resources, licences, and support costs until FY28/29.</p> answering member printed Baroness McIntosh of Hudnall question first answered 30/04/2024 11:19:05 answering member 2506 label Biography information for Baroness McIntosh of Hudnall
	tabling member	1854 label Biography information for Lord Marlesford

1700755

	registered interest
	date	15/04/2024
	answering body	The Senior Deputy Speaker
	answering dept id	204
	answering dept short name
	answering dept sort name	Senior Deputy Speaker (HoL)
	hansard heading	Palace of Westminster: Fire Prevention
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker what precautions are in place to prevent voltage surges entering the electrical system serving the Palace of Westminster.
	tabling member printed	Lord Rooker
	uin	HL3797
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/04/2024 answer text <p>Within the Palace of Westminster there is surge protection by way of Surge Protection Devices on low voltage switchgear. This means that any surges from incoming high voltage supplies are suppressed. The Palace’s main low voltage switchgear was replaced in 2015 and has such surge suppressors installed.</p><p>Low Voltage Boards are a key part of the electrical infrastructure within the Palace of Westminster, providing localised power across the building. There have been two new local unit boards fitted in Elizabeth Tower and these have surge protection fitted, as stipulated by the Design Authority for new boards. Both boards tripped (as per design) when the tower was struck by lightning, showing the surge protection was successful. Surveys were undertaken of existing boards under the Mechanical, Electrical Public Health &amp; Fabric Safety (MEPFS) programme and those ranked as high risk had faulty components replaced, thus reducing the risk of significant power outages across the Palace. Surge protection of these boards will be installed under the new Mechanical, Electrical, Public Health and Fire Safety (MEPF) programme which will be completed prior to the commencement of Restoration and Renewal.</p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble question first answered 23/04/2024 11:36:44 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
	tabling member	302 label Biography information for Lord Rooker

1697254

	registered interest
	date	19/03/2024
	answering body	The Senior Deputy Speaker
	answering dept id	204
	answering dept short name
	answering dept sort name	Senior Deputy Speaker (HoL)
	hansard heading	House of Lords Chamber: Bishops
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker what plans he has, if any, to review the requirements for the Lords Spiritual to wear robes in the Chamber at times other than when they are saying prayers.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Bottomley of Nettlestone
	uin	HL3365
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/03/2024 answer text <p>Paragraph 4.15 of the <em>Companion</em> describes the robes of rochet and chimere that the Lords Spiritual wear in the Chamber. The Procedure and Privileges Committee has no plans to review this requirement.</p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble question first answered 25/03/2024 17:04:38 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
	tabling member	106 label Biography information for Baroness Bottomley of Nettlestone

1697255

	registered interest
	date	19/03/2024
	answering body	The Senior Deputy Speaker
	answering dept id	204
	answering dept short name
	answering dept sort name	Senior Deputy Speaker (HoL)
	hansard heading	House of Lords: Bishops
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker whether the House of Lords funds the purchase and ongoing maintenance, including laundry, of robes worn by the Lords Spiritual.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Bottomley of Nettlestone
	uin	HL3366
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/03/2024 answer text <p>The House does not fund the purchase or maintenance of the robes worn by the Lords Spiritual.</p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble question first answered 25/03/2024 17:03:22 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
	tabling member	106 label Biography information for Baroness Bottomley of Nettlestone

1690615

	registered interest
	date	20/02/2024
	answering body	The Senior Deputy Speaker
	answering dept id	204
	answering dept short name
	answering dept sort name	Senior Deputy Speaker (HoL)
	hansard heading	Parliamentary Estate: Road Traffic Control
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker, further to his remarks on 8 February (HL Deb col 1740), whether he has had discussions with the Finance Committee over any possible review of the costs and process of managing the traffic marshals on the parliamentary estate.
	tabling member printed	Lord Hayward
	uin	HL2634
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/03/2024 answer text <p>The Finance Committee considered the use and cost of traffic marshals on the parliamentary estate at its meeting in February. Once agreed, the minutes of that discussion will be available on the Committee’s website.</p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble question first answered 05/03/2024 16:26:42 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
	tabling member	863 label Biography information for Lord Hayward

1690616

	registered interest
	date	20/02/2024
	answering body	The Senior Deputy Speaker
	answering dept id	204
	answering dept short name
	answering dept sort name	Senior Deputy Speaker (HoL)
	hansard heading	Parliamentary Estate: Road Traffic Control
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker, further to his remarks on 8 February (HL Deb col 1740), what are the 8 'near misses' referred to, broken down by (1) date, (2) time, and (3) location; and how many of those incidents involved pedestrians.
	tabling member printed	Lord Hayward
	uin	HL2635
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/03/2024 answer text <p>Two of the eight near misses referred to involved pedestrians. All of the near misses demonstrate the inherent risk in a mixed-use occupied estate, where it is not possible to segregate pedestrians and traffic, and the importance of a range of mitigations to that risk, including the use, where appropriate, the use of traffic marshals.</p><p>Please see the attached table for date, time, and location of the near misses.</p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble question first answered 05/03/2024 16:27:32 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble attachment 1 file name HL2635 Table.docx title Table mentioned.
	tabling member	863 label Biography information for Lord Hayward

1690617

	registered interest
	date	20/02/2024
	answering body	The Senior Deputy Speaker
	answering dept id	204
	answering dept short name
	answering dept sort name	Senior Deputy Speaker (HoL)
	hansard heading	Parliamentary Estate: Road Traffic Control
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker, further to his remarks on 8 February (HL Deb col 1740), whether any of the 'near misses' referred to occurred within 30 metres of a marshal on duty; and if so, how many marshals would have been within that approximate distance at the time.
	tabling member printed	Lord Hayward
	uin	HL2636
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/03/2024 answer text <p>The eight near misses I referred to on 8 February (HL Deb col 1740) did not occur within 30 metres of a marshal on duty, with half occurring outside the working hours of the marshals. The near misses demonstrate the inherent risk in a mixed-use occupied estate, even during quieter times of the day or night. They highlight the importance of a range of mitigations to that risk, including the use, where appropriate, the use of traffic marshals.</p><p>Please see the attached table for further information.</p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble question first answered 05/03/2024 16:29:21 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble attachment 1 file name HL2636 Table.docx title Table mentioned.
	tabling member	863 label Biography information for Lord Hayward

1690618

	registered interest
	date	20/02/2024
	answering body	The Senior Deputy Speaker
	answering dept id	204
	answering dept short name
	answering dept sort name	Senior Deputy Speaker (HoL)
	hansard heading	Parliamentary Estate: Road Traffic Control
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker what consideration he has given to the need for traffic marshals on the parliamentary estate during (1) the Easter recess, (2) the summer recess, and (3) the General Election period.
	tabling member printed	Lord Hayward
	uin	HL2637
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/03/2024 answer text <p>The number of traffic marshals is reviewed on a quarterly basis to ensure we have sufficient cover to support ongoing projects. Estate-based colleagues remain on site during most recesses, and it is common for construction work to be undertaken more intensely during recess than in sitting times. In addition, Strategic Estates would consider any opportunity to reduce numbers, for example from 22 December to 2 January 2023 when there were no traffic marshals on the Estate.</p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble question first answered 05/03/2024 16:29:43 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
	tabling member	863 label Biography information for Lord Hayward