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1544717

registered interest
date	22/11/2022
answering body	The Senior Deputy Speaker
answering dept id	204
answering dept short name
answering dept sort name	Senior Deputy Speaker (HoL)
hansard heading	BBC Parliament: Finance
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker what representations he has made to the BBC regarding the reduction in funding of BBC Parliament and its implications for public awareness of the work of Parliament.
tabling member printed	Lord Norton of Louth
uin	HL3665
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/12/2022 answer text <p>The Senior Deputy Speaker has asked me, as Chair of the Services Committee, to respond on his behalf. The House of Lords Administration is aware that there was a change in the management structure of BBC Parliament and the funding levels of the service in spring/summer 2021, however we are not aware of any further reduction in funding of BBC Parliament over the last 18 months. Neither the Senior Deputy Speaker nor I have made any representations to the BBC.</p> answering member printed Lord Touhig question first answered 06/12/2022 14:21:23 answering member 542 label Biography information for Lord Touhig
tabling member	3187 label Biography information for Lord Norton of Louth

1489778

registered interest
date	15/07/2022
answering body	The Senior Deputy Speaker
answering dept id	204
answering dept short name
answering dept sort name	Senior Deputy Speaker (HoL)
hansard heading	Parliament: Telephone Services
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker what assessment has been made of dissatisfaction with the parliamentary phone system expressed in the House of Lords Members Survey; and whether that will lead to a procurement review.
tabling member printed	Lord Campbell-Savours
uin	HL1790
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/07/2022 answer text <p>The Senior Deputy Speaker has asked me, as Chair of the Services Committee, to respond on his behalf. The Chief Information Officer and Managing Director of the Parliamentary Digital Service has noted Members’ dissatisfaction with the existing telephone handset solution expressed in the House of Lords’ Member Survey and has accepted the need to take remedial action.</p><p>An investment programme mandate to replace the current service which is now end of life has been recently approved by the bicameral Digital Strategy Board and will formally begin over the summer recess with the development of a business case alongside continued market research and implementation planning. The programme will prioritise addressing Members’ clear dissatisfaction with the telephone handsets. The programme has begun engaging with Members to ensure that the replacement solution addresses the dissatisfaction and will continue to do so after the summer recess.<br></p><p>At its meeting on the 26 May the Services Committee was advised that the project timelines had not yet been defined but it was expected that all user migration would be completed by the end of 2023.</p> answering member printed Lord Touhig question first answered 22/07/2022 13:57:50 answering member 542 label Biography information for Lord Touhig
tabling member	499 label Biography information for Lord Campbell-Savours

1452019

registered interest
date	16/03/2022
answering body	The Senior Deputy Speaker
answering dept id	204
answering dept short name
answering dept sort name	Senior Deputy Speaker (HoL)
hansard heading	National Holocaust Memorial Centre and Learning Service: Construction
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker what assessment he has made of the risk of damage to the Victoria Tower from (1) the excavations, and (2) the vibrations from heavy piling work, required for the development of the Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre at Victoria Tower Gardens.
tabling member printed	Lord Vinson
uin	HL7032
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/03/2022 answer text <p>The Senior Deputy Speaker has asked me, as Chair of the Services Committee, to respond on his behalf.</p><p>The full assessment of risks to the Parliamentary Estate, including the Victoria Tower, from the construction of the Holocaust Memorial can only be made once detailed design proposals are available to review.</p><p>Different construction and excavation plans will have different impacts and risks. We plan to install vibration monitors when and where appropriate.</p><p>It is expected that the Holocaust Memorial project team will engage with the House as a key stakeholder throughout the detailed design stage.</p> answering member printed Lord Touhig question first answered 30/03/2022 13:15:50 answering member 542 label Biography information for Lord Touhig
tabling member	1807 label Biography information for Lord Vinson

1438012

registered interest
date	03/03/2022
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: Computers and Printing Machinery
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker how many members of the House of Lords have a (1) laptop, (2) desktop, and (3) printer (a) in their parliamentary office, or (b) at home, paid for out of House of Lords funds.
tabling member printed	Lord Foulkes of Cumnock
uin	HL6610
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/03/2022 answer text <p>The Senior Deputy Speaker has asked me, as Chair of the Services Committee, to respond on his behalf.</p><p>Since 2015, the following equipment has been paid for out of Parliamentary funds:</p><ul><li>501 Members have a laptop</li></ul><ul><li>365 Members have a desktop</li></ul><ul><li>186 printers have been provided to Members’ offices</li></ul><ul><li>65 Members have been provided a printer at home.</li></ul><p> </p><p>Members are entitled to an allowance of two devices out of a choice of either a desktop (on estate installation only), a laptop or an iPad. These allowance options are flexible depending on accessibility requirements. Printers issued for onsite use are provided in addition to this and are usually assigned to an office space rather than a specific Member. The 186 printers in Members’ offices includes larger printers in shared offices and smaller printers in offices occupied by one Member.</p><p>In June 2020 as a temporary measure the Services Committee agreed to reimburse Members buying a printer for home use, for up to the value of £200. This was reviewed in light of changes to COVID guidelines and came to an end in September 2021 except for those members eligible to participate in proceedings virtually. During the time the scheme ran, 65 members claimed back the cost of a printer at home and a total of 99 Members were reimbursed for printer consumables for home printing during this period. PDS did previously provide printers to members for home use, this offer was stopped by the Information Committee in 2015. It is likely however, that very few, if any of these devices are still functioning, as these devices have surpassed their useful lifespan and are no longer supported by the manufacturer.</p> answering member printed Lord Touhig question first answered 17/03/2022 12:10:06 answering member 542 label Biography information for Lord Touhig
tabling member	579 label Biography information for Lord Foulkes of Cumnock

1419998

registered interest
date	04/02/2022
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: Catering
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker what steps the House of Lords catering services are taking to support British farmers and growers by buying British produce.
tabling member printed	Baroness Kennedy of Cradley
uin	HL5993
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/02/2022 answer text <p>The Senior Deputy Speaker has asked me, as Chair of the Services Committee, to respond on his behalf.</p><p>It is always the intention of Catering &amp; Retail Services to purchase high quality, fresh, seasonal produce. In catering outlets and for events the majority of fresh products purchased are British: meat, dairy, bread, eggs, and fruit and vegetables (when in season) are sourced from within the UK.</p><p>When tendering for new supplier contracts the Parliamentary Procurement and Commercial Service (PPCS) add to contracts wording such as:</p><p>&quot;The Authority [PPCS] seeks to appoint fresh produce suppliers that have robust environmental and local sourcing policies and give preference to those that subscribe to Linking Environment and Farming marque (LEAF), or Red Tractor…&quot;</p><p>Seasonality and the provenance of our ingredients feature heavily on our menus and promotional material. Key calendar dates such as British Food Fortnight are supported in our outlets through promotional activity, along with other regional showcases, highlighting produce and traditional food recipes from across the UK. Catering &amp; Retail Services have also worked with the National Farmers Union for their Back British Farming campaigns.</p> answering member printed Lord Touhig question first answered 17/02/2022 15:06:32 answering member 542 label Biography information for Lord Touhig
tabling member	4303 label Biography information for Baroness Kennedy of Cradley

1402897

registered interest
date	13/01/2022
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: Charging Points
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 demand for install electric vehicle charging points in the House of Lords car parks; what is the estimated cost of installing charging points; whether there are plans to install such charging points; and if so, when they are expected to be operational.
tabling member printed	Lord Berkeley
uin	HL5378
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/01/2022 answer text <p>The Senior Deputy Speaker has asked me, as Chair of the Services Committee, to respond on his behalf. A survey of all members in May 2021 identified 33 members who at that time expected they would make use of an electric vehicle charging facility for the House of Lords. Work to date has not identified a final, fully costed and value for money approach. Further work to identify, approve and set a delivery timescale for such an approach is ongoing.</p> answering member printed Lord Touhig question first answered 26/01/2022 12:02:38 answering member 542 label Biography information for Lord Touhig
tabling member	3526 label Biography information for Lord Berkeley

1384449

registered interest
date	02/12/2021
answering body	The Senior Deputy Speaker
answering dept id	204
answering dept short name
answering dept sort name	Senior Deputy Speaker (HoL)
hansard heading	Catering and Retail Services (HL): Eggs
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker whether the House of Lords Catering and Retail Services have been sourcing egg products from (1) Belgium, or (2) any other non-UK country; and what commitment they have, if any, to only sourcing eggs from British Lion producers.
tabling member printed	Earl Cathcart
uin	HL4632
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/12/2021 answer text <p>The Senior Deputy Speaker has asked me, as Chair of the Services Committee, to respond on his behalf. The Catering and Retail Service (CRS) source pasteurised egg yolk and egg white products from Cocovite, which are manufactured in Belgium; however CRS are continually working with suppliers to find a British alternative.</p><p>The Catering and Retail Service do however source free range whole eggs which are British Lion quality stamped.</p> answering member printed Lord Touhig question first answered 15/12/2021 11:59:44 answering member 542 label Biography information for Lord Touhig
tabling member	2463 label Biography information for Earl Cathcart

1380853

registered interest
date	22/11/2021
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: Electric Vehicles
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker how many electric car charging points there are in the House of Lords.
tabling member printed	Lord Mawson
uin	HL4277
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/12/2021 answer text <p>The Senior Deputy Speaker has asked me, as Chair of the Services Committee, to respond on his behalf. There are currently no electric car charging points on the House of Lords estate. The Services Committee has been considering a proposal for the installation of charging points, the Clerk of the Parliaments as Accounting Officer has decided that the project does not offer value for money. The Services Committee endorsed this decision and has asked the Administration to consider alternative options for the provision of electric car charging for members.</p> answering member printed Lord Touhig question first answered 06/12/2021 12:20:21 answering member 542 label Biography information for Lord Touhig
tabling member	3830 label Biography information for Lord Mawson

1365250

registered interest
date	02/11/2021
answering body	The Senior Deputy Speaker
answering dept id	204
answering dept short name
answering dept sort name	Senior Deputy Speaker (HoL)
hansard heading	Victoria Tower: Floods
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 risk from flooding to Victoria Tower.
tabling member printed	Baroness Deech
uin	HL3614
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/11/2021 answer text <p>The Senior Deputy Speaker has asked me, as Chair of the Services Committee, to respond on his behalf. The first floor of the Victoria Tower is 65 feet above ground level - emphasising its stature as the Royal Entrance - which means any flooding would only happen due to leaking pipe work at a higher level, or through the cast iron roof.</p><p>It is known that the cast iron roof is in a poor state of repair. There is water ingress from roof level, but it is not yet critical. However, if the roof is left unrepaired its condition will only deteriorate further. In addition, much of the roof drainage system is concealed within stonework, which makes precise assessment of its condition difficult without carrying out thorough intrusive surveys. These surveys would be technically difficult to carry out due to the height, location and design of building.</p><p>Water ingress is monitored and options are currently being explored to address the repair of the roof as part of the safety critical repairs to the Victoria Tower stonework.</p> answering member printed Lord Touhig question first answered 16/11/2021 12:55:14 answering member 542 label Biography information for Lord Touhig
tabling member	3756 label Biography information for Baroness Deech

1364829

registered interest
date	01/11/2021
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: Correspondence
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker what arrangements are available to help backbench Peers deal with correspondence.
tabling member printed	Lord Foulkes of Cumnock
uin	HL3572
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/11/2021 answer text <p>The Senior Deputy Speaker has asked me, as Chair of the Services Committee, to respond on his behalf.<br></p><p>All external physical correspondence received by Parliament is security screened off site before being brought to the estate. Appropriate cyber-security measures are in place to protect the Parliamentary network from malicious e-mails and spam.<br></p><p>Members are able to specify how they wish to receive internal and external correspondence including delivery to pigeon holes, member desks or Prince’s Chamber and the option of forwarding to external addresses. Member preferences can be treated as temporary or permanent arrangements and can be varied between sitting and non-sitting days.</p><p>Internal and External mailboxes are located across the estate for members sending correspondence, with stationery available from Peers’ Lobby or Millbank House Reception on request.<br></p><p>There are also a number of arrangements available to help members with parliamentary business more widely, including responding to correspondence:</p><ul><li>Sponsorship of passes for members’ staff: members may apply for up to three passes for secretarial or research support staff.</li><li>IT support: Digital Services available to members to help them manage their correspondence include the provision of Microsoft Office 365, which includes email and Teams (for telephony and videoconferencing), and file storage within their Parliamentary Network Accounts. One-to-one digital coaching sessions are available to members; these are tailored to suit the specific requirements of the individual member and can be used to focus on making the most of these tools. Members are also provided with an IT allowance, which, as well as an iPhone, entitles them to choose between two different devices out of a desktop, laptop, or iPad. Members are also entitled to a printer provided by PDS, and are expected to share this where they occupy an office with other members, with printer consumables provided by the Attendants’ office.</li><li>The Library: the library offers a range of research and information services, resources and products to members in support of their parliamentary work.</li></ul><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Touhig question first answered 15/11/2021 15:33:28 answering member 542 label Biography information for Lord Touhig
tabling member	579 label Biography information for Lord Foulkes of Cumnock