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1051989

	registered interest
	date	30/01/2019
	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: Proof of Identity
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker what consideration has been given to requiring all visitors to the Parliamentary estate to present photo identification before entry.
	tabling member printed	Viscount Waverley
	uin	HL13316
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/02/2019 answer text <p>There are over one million visitors to Parliament each year. Visitors access the estate for many reasons. These include: to meet with a Member or a member of staff; to attend a Member-sponsored meeting or meetings at official level; to give evidence to a Committee; to lobby; to attend debates in both Houses (in the Chambers and Committees); to attend functions and banqueting events; to take a tour (both paid-for and democratic free tours); or as part of an Education Service visit. Many visits do not need to be pre-booked. In order to promote open access to Parliament controls are kept proportionate to the security risk. Photo identification by visitors is not currently deemed proportionate and if introduced would need to be verified, significantly delaying the admission of visitors to Parliament and resulting in lengthy queues at peak times.</p><p>All non-passholders are subject to search and screening measures before entering the estate. The Parliamentary Security Department do not comment publicly on the details of security measures.</p><p>The Director of Security for Parliament is content to meet with any members who wish to discuss specific concerns.</p> answering member printed Lord McFall of Alcluith question first answered 07/02/2019 12:41:04 answering member 4148 label Biography information for Lord McFall of Alcluith
	tabling member	1744 label Biography information for Viscount Waverley

1054378

	registered interest
	date	04/02/2019
	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: Paintings
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker when the restoration works on the two large Maclise paintings in the Royal Gallery will be completed.
	tabling member printed	Lord Trefgarne
	uin	HL13426
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/02/2019 answer text <p>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.</p> answering member printed Lord Laming question first answered 11/02/2019 16:51:45 answering member 2079 label Biography information for Lord Laming
	tabling member	1813 label Biography information for Lord Trefgarne

1059235

	registered interest
	date	11/02/2019
	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: Disability
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker whether he is satisfied that the present arrangements in the Chamber and Committee Rooms meet the needs of those with hearing or visual impairments.
	tabling member printed	Lord Trefgarne
	uin	HL13620
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/02/2019 answer text <p>The House of Lords provides support for Members, staff and visitors to Parliament affected by hearing loss through the use of audio loop and infrared systems that help to amplify sound for hearing aid users. Loop systems are installed in the Chamber and all Committee rooms, with infrared systems additionally available within Committee rooms 1 to 4, 2A, 3A and the Moses Room. Handheld radio transmitters are also available to hearing-aid users when in the Chamber, to reduce interference from electrical equipment and improve the quality of sound provided by the audio loop.</p><p> </p><p>We are currently exploring options to provide an audio description service for Chamber and Committee proceedings. This will provide blind and partially sighted members, committee witnesses and members of the public with a voiced description of which member or witness is currently speaking, transmitted directly via an audio service. A feasibility study was commissioned in January 2019 and will report back later this year.</p><p> </p><p>Further microphones are due to be added to the Chamber this year, which will improve the quality of service provided to hearing aid users. A greater number of microphones situated closer to the people speaking minimises background noise and gives a cleaner sound on the audio which is sent directly to hearing aids via the loop system. The large number of microphones used in Committee meetings, whether automated or operated by an engineer, help to keep the sound clear and maximise the quality of sound experienced by hearing aid users.</p><p> </p><p>For those with hearing impairments which do not require the use of a hearing aid, overall audibility in Committee Rooms 2A, 3A and 4A is generally good. In Committee rooms 1 to 4, however, factors such as high ceilings and furniture arrangements mean that the current acoustic set-up is sub-optimal. A facilities upgrade is currently being trialled in House of Commons Committee Room 6 and, subject to approval, House of Lords Committee rooms will also benefit from these improvements in due course. There are also plans to replace the speakers embedded in the benches within the Chamber next year, which should deliver improvements to general levels of audibility.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The business of the House is of course dependent upon Members, staff and visitors such as committee witnesses being able to hear and be heard, although the capacity to deliver improvements can sometimes be limited by the nature of operations in a building with heritage restrictions. Equality Impact Assessments will be carried out as part of the Restoration and Renewal process, during which extensive works are likely to offer the potential for further improvements to facilities. In the interim, the Director of Facilities would be happy to speak to any member with specific suggestions for improvement.</p> answering member printed Lord McFall of Alcluith question first answered 25/02/2019 17:21:43 answering member 4148 label Biography information for Lord McFall of Alcluith
	tabling member	1813 label Biography information for Lord Trefgarne

1060917

	registered interest
	date	13/02/2019
	answering body	The Senior Deputy Speaker
	answering dept id	204
	answering dept short name
	answering dept sort name	Senior Deputy Speaker (HoL)
	hansard heading	Peers: Bullying
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker how many formal complaints of bullying or harassment by any member of the House of Lords he has received from (1) members, (2) their staff, or (3) House staff since he launched the consultation on the implementation of a new process for investigating complaints of bullying, harassment or sexual misconduct on 11 February.
	tabling member printed	Lord Foulkes of Cumnock
	uin	HL13693
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/02/2019 answer text <p>I have not received any formal complaints from members, their staff or House staff but under neither the current system nor the proposed future system would complaints come to me. Currently complaints may be received by the House Administration, the Commissioner for Standards, any of the political parties or whips, or the Convenor of the Crossbench Peers.</p><p> </p><p>Complaints of bullying or harassment by members of the House of Lords may be made to the Commissioner for Standards. Consideration of complaints by the Commissioner follows a two stage process. The Commissioner conducts a preliminary assessment to determine whether there is evidence sufficient to establish a prima facie case that the Code has been breached. This stage of the process is confidential, known only to the Commissioner, complainant and respondent. Basic details of cases are made public only if a complaint proceeds to the second stage, which is a formal investigation.</p><p> </p><p>When I launched the consultation on 11 February there were no live formal investigations by the Commissioner solely in relation to the Code’s personal honour provision, which is the only aspect of the Code likely to be engaged by complaints of bullying and harassment. No such investigations have been initiated since the consultation was launched.</p><p> </p><p>Furthermore, no formal complaints relating to the behaviour of House of Lords members were being dealt with by the Administration when the consultation was launched, and none have been initiated since.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord McFall of Alcluith grouped question UIN HL13729 question first answered 25/02/2019 17:14:53 answering member 4148 label Biography information for Lord McFall of Alcluith
	tabling member	579 label Biography information for Lord Foulkes of Cumnock

1061349

	registered interest
	date	14/02/2019
	answering body	The Senior Deputy Speaker
	answering dept id	204
	answering dept short name
	answering dept sort name	Senior Deputy Speaker (HoL)
	hansard heading	Peers: Bullying
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker how many formal complaints of bullying or harassment by any member of the House of Lords were being investigated from (1) members, (2) their staff, or (3) House staff at the time he launched the consultation on the implementation of a new process for investigating complaints of bullying, harassment or sexual misconduct on 11 February.
	tabling member printed	Lord Foulkes of Cumnock
	uin	HL13729
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/02/2019 answer text <p>I have not received any formal complaints from members, their staff or House staff but under neither the current system nor the proposed future system would complaints come to me. Currently complaints may be received by the House Administration, the Commissioner for Standards, any of the political parties or whips, or the Convenor of the Crossbench Peers.</p><p> </p><p>Complaints of bullying or harassment by members of the House of Lords may be made to the Commissioner for Standards. Consideration of complaints by the Commissioner follows a two stage process. The Commissioner conducts a preliminary assessment to determine whether there is evidence sufficient to establish a prima facie case that the Code has been breached. This stage of the process is confidential, known only to the Commissioner, complainant and respondent. Basic details of cases are made public only if a complaint proceeds to the second stage, which is a formal investigation.</p><p> </p><p>When I launched the consultation on 11 February there were no live formal investigations by the Commissioner solely in relation to the Code’s personal honour provision, which is the only aspect of the Code likely to be engaged by complaints of bullying and harassment. No such investigations have been initiated since the consultation was launched.</p><p> </p><p>Furthermore, no formal complaints relating to the behaviour of House of Lords members were being dealt with by the Administration when the consultation was launched, and none have been initiated since.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord McFall of Alcluith grouped question UIN HL13693 question first answered 25/02/2019 17:14:53 answering member 4148 label Biography information for Lord McFall of Alcluith
	tabling member	579 label Biography information for Lord Foulkes of Cumnock

1078967

	registered interest
	date	27/02/2019
	answering body	The Senior Deputy Speaker
	answering dept id	204
	answering dept short name
	answering dept sort name	Senior Deputy Speaker (HoL)
	hansard heading	Bullying and Harassment in the House of Lords Independent Inquiry
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker what is the estimated cost of the independent inquiry into bullying and harassment in the House of Lords; and what is the level of remuneration being paid to Naomi Ellenbogen QC.
	tabling member printed	Lord Foulkes of Cumnock
	uin	HL14089
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/03/2019 answer text <p>The inquiry into bullying and harassment, launched on 19 December 2018, is being led independently by Naomi Ellenbogen QC. The inquiry relates to and has sought contributions from a number of key stakeholder groups, including current and, where possible, former:</p><p> </p><ul><li>House of Lords Administration staff (including agency and interim staff), and employee representative groups;</li><li>Members of the House of Lords;</li><li>Staff of Members of the House of Lords; and</li><li>Staff of the House of Commons, MPs’ staff, and staff of shared or bicameral services in Parliament.</li></ul><p> </p><p>Naomi Ellenbogen QC is being remunerated on the basis of a daily fee of £2000 plus VAT for each full day worked exclusively on the inquiry, and an hourly fee of £225 plus VAT where only part of the day is spent working on the inquiry. The contract through which Ms Ellenbogen has been engaged defines a full day as constituting 8 hours, and provides that time engaged in report writing will be payable at the agreed hourly rate.</p><p> </p><p>While the costs of the inquiry are being paid by the House of Lords, the overall cost will depend on a number of variable factors outside the Administration’s control, in particular the volume of evidence received.</p> answering member printed Lord McFall of Alcluith question first answered 12/03/2019 17:56:04 answering member 4148 label Biography information for Lord McFall of Alcluith
	tabling member	579 label Biography information for Lord Foulkes of Cumnock

1083761

	registered interest
	date	07/03/2019
	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: Repairs and Maintenance
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker what consideration has been given to relocating the House of Lords to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office building in King Charles Street during the period of reconstruction of the Palace of Westminster.
	tabling member printed	Lord Berkeley
	uin	HL14324
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/03/2019 answer text <p>The R&amp;R Programme Team carried out work with the Government Property Unit to assess the suitability of sites on the Government estate for relocation of the House of Lords during the restoration and renewal works on the Palace of Westminster. One of the options involved use of the courtyard of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office building in King Charles Street. However, this was considered to be a sub-optimal solution that would require further decant accommodation to be delivered over multiple locations and had space constraints around the Chamber. Concerns were also raised in relation to security and access to the site for construction. Subsequent work has identified the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre as the most suitable decant location for the House of Lords. The House of Lords Commission agreed the QEII Centre as the preferred option for decant in September 2018.</p> answering member printed Lord McFall of Alcluith question first answered 20/03/2019 17:35:08 answering member 4148 label Biography information for Lord McFall of Alcluith
	tabling member	3526 label Biography information for Lord Berkeley

1087524

	registered interest
	date	12/03/2019
	answering body	The Senior Deputy Speaker
	answering dept id	204
	answering dept short name
	answering dept sort name	Senior Deputy Speaker (HoL)
	hansard heading	Peers' Staff: Personnel Management
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker what is the estimated annual cost attributable to the House of Lords of the HR support services for Peers' staff administered by Croner Group Ltd.
	tabling member printed	Lord Foulkes of Cumnock
	uin	HL14449
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/03/2019 answer text <p>The total cost of the contract with Croner Group Ltd. in place for the period from 8th October 2018 to 7th October 2019 is £21,985. The cost of this contract is shared between the House of Commons and the House of Lords administrations. The total portion of this cost attributable to the House of Lords for HR support services for Peers' staff is £6,595.50.</p> answering member printed Lord McFall of Alcluith question first answered 20/03/2019 17:35:52 answering member 4148 label Biography information for Lord McFall of Alcluith
	tabling member	579 label Biography information for Lord Foulkes of Cumnock

1109570

	registered interest
	date	03/04/2019
	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 Library: Magazine Press
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	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.
	tabling member printed	Lord Palmer
	uin	HL15039
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/04/2019 answer text <p>The total cost of production for issue 1 of the House of Lords Library Magazine <em>The Library</em> 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 <em>The Library</em> will be published approximately nine times per year.</p> answering member printed Lord Laming question first answered 11/04/2019 12:56:25 answering member 2079 label Biography information for Lord Laming
	tabling member	3192 label Biography information for Lord Palmer

1123750

	registered interest
	date	29/04/2019
	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 Archives: Fire Hazards
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	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.
	tabling member printed	Lord Lexden
	uin	HL15388
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/05/2019 answer text <p>The Senior Deputy Speaker has asked me, as Chairman of the Services Committee, to respond on his behalf.</p><p>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.</p><p>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.</p> answering member printed Lord Laming question first answered 14/05/2019 11:22:28 answering member 2079 label Biography information for Lord Laming
	tabling member	4202 label Biography information for Lord Lexden