Yes, Black Rod was consulted on the closure of College Green. The Green is owned by the House of Commons but day to day access is delegated by the Clerk of the House to Black Rod. Current policy is to allow public access to the Green to enable the public to pass through on the paths or to use it as a recreational space. It is also longstanding policy also to allow the media to use the Green for the contemporaneous news reporting of events within Parliament. Broadcasters are not charged to use the Green as is it considered to be in Parliament\u2019s and the national interest that they should be facilitated to report on Parliament. As the Green is owned by the House of Commons, the question of charging would be a matter for them, not the House of Lords.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4148", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord McFall of Alcluith"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord McFall of Alcluith"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-01-03", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-01-03T14:05:35.903Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "204"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : ""} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Senior Deputy Speaker (HoL)"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2018-12-18", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Abingdon Green"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker whether the House Authorities were consulted on the decision to close College Green to the public; and whether broadcasters using the Green pay the House.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4238", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Storey"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Storey"} ], "uin" : "HL12414"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1020561", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "The Senior Deputy Speaker"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1020561/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Senior Deputy Speaker has asked me, as Chairman of the Services Committee, to respond on his behalf.<\/p>
<\/p>
Problems have been experienced with the lighting system installed in 1 Millbank. It appears that the controlling software has been corrupted, resulting in some users being unable to turn on or turn off particular lighting units. Work is currently ongoing to resolve this issue.<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/2079", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Laming"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Laming"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-12-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-12-20T12:41:51.933Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "204"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : ""} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Senior Deputy Speaker (HoL)"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2018-12-06", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Millbank House: Lighting"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker what steps he is taking to ensure that all of the lighting in Millbank House can be turned off.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4216", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Empey"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Empey"} ], "uin" : "HL12108"} ], "itemsPerPage" : 10, "page" : 0, "startIndex" : 1, "totalResults" : 2, "type" : ["http://purl.org/linked-data/api/vocab#ListEndpoint", "http://purl.org/linked-data/api/vocab#Page"]} }