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1170327

registered interest
date	13/01/2020
answering body	House of Commons Commission
answering dept id	18
answering dept short name	House of Commons Commission
answering dept sort name	House of Commons Commission
hansard heading	Big Ben
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the hon. Member representing the House of Commons Commission, if the Commission will allow Big Ben to chime at 11pm GMT on 31 January 2020 to mark the UK leaving the EU; what estimate has been made of the cost of activating the clock mechanism to enable those chimes; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Lichfield
tabling member printed	Michael Fabricant
uin	2417
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/01/2020 answer text <p>The Speaker has indicated that this is a matter for Members of the House of Commons. The House of Commons Commission will respond to any decision of the House on this matter. In the absence of any such decision, the Commission's position on the sounding of Big Ben remains unchanged.</p><p>For the Bell to ring on 31 January, the temporary striking mechanism used for Remembrance Sunday and New Year's Eve would need to be reattached and tested to ensure the timing is correct. Alongside this work, a temporary floor of the belfry where Big Ben is housed would also need to be installed, as extensive work is currently taking place in this area. The cost for the temporary floor and installing, testing and striking Big Ben would be approximately £120,000.</p><p>In addition to the set-up, the delay to work in the belfry would push back the planned programme of works by two to four weeks, with each week of delays costing approximately £100,000 a week. As such, the minimum cost of sounding Big Ben would be £320,000 but could be much higher (up to £500,000). These costs are based on a notice period of approximately two weeks. Should the project team be required to strike the bell with less notice, these costs would increase substantially.</p> answering member constituency Mole Valley answering member printed Sir Paul Beresford question first answered 15/01/2020 23:47:42 answering member 103 label Biography information for Sir Paul Beresford
tabling member	280 label Biography information for Michael Fabricant

1170507

registered interest
date	13/01/2020
answering body	House of Commons Commission
answering dept id	18
answering dept short name	House of Commons Commission
answering dept sort name	House of Commons Commission
hansard heading	Big Ben: Festivals and Special Occasions
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the hon. Member representing the House of Commons Commission, what the cost was of Big Ben chiming on (a) Remembrance Sunday 2019 and (b) New Year's Eve 2019.
tabling member constituency	Rayleigh and Wickford
tabling member printed	Mr Mark Francois
uin	2442
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/01/2020 answer text <p>The costs associated with striking Big Ben on Remembrance Sunday and New Year's Eve in 2019 were £14.2k including VAT <ins class="ministerial">in total.</ins> <del class="ministerial">on each occasion.</del></p><p>The striking of Big Ben on these occasions was coordinated around the planned works so as to minimise the impact on the project costs and to ensure it did not result in any delay. If the project team are required to strike the bell with less notice, the costs would substantially increase due to the unexpected impact on the project schedule.</p> answering member constituency Mole Valley answering member printed Sir Paul Beresford question first answered 16/01/2020 20:09:42 question first ministerially corrected 19/02/2020 08:40:44 answering member 103 label Biography information for Sir Paul Beresford previous answer version 1393 answering member constituency Mole Valley answering member printed Sir Paul Beresford answering member 103 label Biography information for Sir Paul Beresford
tabling member	1444 label Biography information for Mr Mark Francois

1168405

registered interest
date	19/12/2019
answering body	House of Commons Commission
answering dept id	18
answering dept short name	House of Commons Commission
answering dept sort name	House of Commons Commission
hansard heading	Big Ben
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the hon. Member, representing the House of Commons Commission, whether the Commission has received a request from the Government to arrange for Big Ben to chime to mark the UK's departure from the EU.
tabling member constituency	Glasgow North
tabling member printed	Patrick Grady
uin	154
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/01/2020 answer text <p>The House of Commons Commission has not received a request from the Government to arrange for Big Ben to chime to mark the UK’s departure from the EU.</p><p>The Commission is aware of EDM No. 2, tabled by the right hon. Member for Rayleigh and Wickford, which calls on Mr Speaker and the House Authorities to make arrangements for Big Ben to chime at 11.00 pm on 31 January 2020.</p><p>The Commission is further aware that an amendment in the names of Mark Francois and other signatories has been tabled to the European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill that moves the following clause;</p><p>Exit day chimes of Big Ben</p><p>(1) The United Kingdom leaves the European Union, in accordance with Article 50 (2) of the Treaty on European Union, at 11.00pm Greenwich Mean Time on Friday 31 January 2020.</p><p>(2) The Speaker of the House of Commons and the Corporate Officer of the House of Commons, together with any other relevant parliamentary authorities, must make arrangements for the occasion in subsection (1) to be marked by the sounding of the hourly chimes including eleven strikes of the principal bell (Big Ben) of the Great Clock in the Elizabeth Tower of the Houses of Parliament at 11.00pm Greenwich Mean Time on Friday 31 January 2020.</p><p>In May 2018, the Commission agreed that, during the Elizabeth Tower refurbishment project, Big Ben should sound only for Remembrance Sunday, Armistice Day and over the New Year.</p> answering member constituency Mole Valley answering member printed Sir Paul Beresford question first answered 07/01/2020 13:30:44 answering member 103 label Biography information for Sir Paul Beresford
tabling member	4432 label Biography information for Patrick Grady

1151474

registered interest
date	22/10/2019
answering body	House of Commons Commission
answering dept id	18
answering dept short name	House of Commons Commission
answering dept sort name	House of Commons Commission
hansard heading	Members: Twitter
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the right hon. Member for Carshalton and Wallington, representing the House of Commons Commission, how many MPs have contacted the House authorities about anonymous abuse or threats on Twitter in the latest period for which figures are available.
tabling member constituency	Dudley North
tabling member printed	Ian Austin
uin	3697
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/10/2019 answer text <p>The Parliamentary Security Department regularly provides advice to Members and their staff on social media security, but we do not collate data on these interactions. For security and privacy reasons, the discussions held between Members and the House authorities relating to threats and abuse are not publicly available. Threats and abuse received by Members should always be reported to the police.</p><p>The Member is invited to contact the Director of Security for Parliament directly if he wishes to discuss this matter further.</p> answering member constituency Carshalton and Wallington answering member printed Tom Brake question first answered 28/10/2019 18:42:38 answering member 151 label Biography information for Tom Brake
tabling member	1511 label Biography information for Lord Austin of Dudley

1151475

registered interest
date	22/10/2019
answering body	House of Commons Commission
answering dept id	18
answering dept short name	House of Commons Commission
answering dept sort name	House of Commons Commission
hansard heading	Members: Social Media
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the right hon. Member for Carshalton and Wallington, representing the House of Commons Commission, how many staff Parliament has employed to deal with social media companies in respect of abuse or threats directed at Members of Parliament in each of the last five years.
tabling member constituency	Dudley North
tabling member printed	Ian Austin
uin	3698
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/10/2019 answer text <p>Prior to June 2017 no staff were directly employed to deal with social media companies in respect of abuse or threats directed at Members of Parliament.</p><p>From June 2017 to May 2019, one member of staff was directly employed in this line of work.</p><p>From June 2019 to date, two members of staff have been directly employed in this line of work.</p> answering member constituency Carshalton and Wallington answering member printed Tom Brake question first answered 28/10/2019 18:56:51 answering member 151 label Biography information for Tom Brake
tabling member	1511 label Biography information for Lord Austin of Dudley

1151476

registered interest
date	22/10/2019
answering body	House of Commons Commission
answering dept id	18
answering dept short name	House of Commons Commission
answering dept sort name	House of Commons Commission
hansard heading	Members: Twitter
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the right hon. Member for Carshalton and Wallington, representing the House of Commons Commission, what assessment the Commission has made of the effectiveness of Twitter's response to complaints by House authorities about abuse or threats directed at Members of Parliament.
tabling member constituency	Dudley North
tabling member printed	Ian Austin
uin	3699
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/10/2019 answer text <p>Parliament has established a reasonable relationship with the main social media companies, including Twitter. We continually monitor the effectiveness of our work as we regularly raise abusive content directly with the company on behalf of Members.</p> answering member constituency Carshalton and Wallington answering member printed Tom Brake question first answered 28/10/2019 18:50:03 answering member 151 label Biography information for Tom Brake
tabling member	1511 label Biography information for Lord Austin of Dudley

1151052

registered interest
date	21/10/2019
answering body	House of Commons Commission
answering dept id	18
answering dept short name	House of Commons Commission
answering dept sort name	House of Commons Commission
hansard heading	Palace of Westminster: Sanitation
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the right hon. Member for Carshalton and Wallington, representing the House of Commons Commission, how many male toilets there are in the Palace of Westminster; and how many male toilets have disposal bins suitable for the disposal of stoma and continence and personal care products.
tabling member constituency	West Lancashire
tabling member printed	Rosie Cooper
uin	2851
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/10/2019 answer text <p>There are 57 male toilets in the Palace of Westminster. Currently only one male toilet - in the House of Lords ground floor cloakroom - has a disposal bin; however the bins are generally only provided if requested. We have not to date received any requests for bins of the sort specified, but would be happy to respond if made aware of any demand.</p> answering member constituency Carshalton and Wallington answering member printed Tom Brake question first answered 28/10/2019 19:04:19 answering member 151 label Biography information for Tom Brake
tabling member	1538 label Biography information for Rosie Cooper

1150398

registered interest
date	17/10/2019
answering body	House of Commons Commission
answering dept id	18
answering dept short name	House of Commons Commission
answering dept sort name	House of Commons Commission
hansard heading	Members: Twitter
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the right hon. Member for Carshalton and Wallington, representing the House of Commons Commission, how many hon. Members have discussed with the House authorities abuse and threats that they have received on Twitter.
tabling member constituency	Dudley North
tabling member printed	Ian Austin
uin	1631
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/10/2019 answer text <p>Threats and abuse received by Members should always be reported to the police.</p><p>The Parliamentary Security Department uses best endeavours to review tweets sent publicly to Members, reporting matters of concern to the police and Twitter as appropriate. This opt-in service is only done with Members’ express permission.</p><p>The Parliamentary Security Department regularly provides advice to Members and their staff on social media security, but we do not collate data on these interactions. For security and privacy reasons, the discussions held between Members and the House authorities relating to threats and abuse are not publicly available.</p><p>The Member is invited to contact the Director of Security for Parliament directly if he wishes to discuss this matter further.</p> answering member constituency Carshalton and Wallington answering member printed Tom Brake question first answered 22/10/2019 11:29:11 answering member 151 label Biography information for Tom Brake
tabling member	1511 label Biography information for Lord Austin of Dudley

1149234

registered interest
date	15/10/2019
answering body	House of Commons Commission
answering dept id	18
answering dept short name	House of Commons Commission
answering dept sort name	House of Commons Commission
hansard heading	Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the right hon. Member for Carshalton and Wallington, representing the House of Commons Commission, how many complaints under the Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme which were not previously covered by the scheme have been lodged since the resolution of the House on 17 July 2019.
tabling member constituency	Ellesmere Port and Neston
tabling member printed	Justin Madders
uin	548
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/10/2019 answer text <p>The resolution of the House of 17 July 2019 endorsed the report of the House of Commons Commission entitled <a href="https://www.parliament.uk/documents/commons-commission/HC%202554%20-%20Extending%20the%20Independent%20Complaints%20and%20Grievance%20Scheme.pdf" target="_blank"><em>Extending the Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme</em></a> and approved steps to make the changes necessary to extend the scheme. Paragraph 6 of that report stated that subject to approval by the House, implementation work would take place over the summer, including the recruitment of additional expert independent investigators, with the intention of opening up the Scheme to non-recent cases from autumn this year.</p><p>Complainants with non-recent cases and former members of the parliamentary community, not previously covered by the scheme, will have access to the scheme from Monday 21 October 2019.</p> answering member constituency Carshalton and Wallington answering member printed Tom Brake question first answered 21/10/2019 14:21:07 answering member 151 label Biography information for Tom Brake
tabling member	4418 label Biography information for Justin Madders

1147722

registered interest
date	02/10/2019
answering body	House of Commons Commission
answering dept id	18
answering dept short name	House of Commons Commission
answering dept sort name	House of Commons Commission
hansard heading	House of Commons: Security
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the right hon. Member for Carshalton and Wallington, representing the House of Commons Commission, whether a (a) temporary or (b) permanent House of Commons security pass has ever been refused on the grounds that the applicant had been found to be in contempt of Parliament.
tabling member constituency	Cardiff South and Penarth
tabling member printed	Stephen Doughty
uin	293592
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/10/2019 answer text <p>In the past 10 years, there have been no cases where a temporary or permanent House of Commons security pass has been refused on the grounds that the applicant had been found to be in contempt of Parliament.</p><p>Parliament decides on matters of contempt, including sanctions, on a case-by-case basis, on the advice of the Committee of Privileges.</p> answering member constituency Carshalton and Wallington answering member printed Tom Brake question first answered 07/10/2019 18:46:21 answering member 151 label Biography information for Tom Brake
tabling member	4264 label Biography information for Stephen Doughty