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452280

registered interest
date	11/02/2016
answering body	The Lord Chairman of Committees
answering dept id	200
answering dept short name
answering dept sort name	Chairman of Committees (HoL)
hansard heading	Acts: Publishing
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask the Chairman of Committees why the use of vellum for the record copies of Acts of Parliament has been abandoned without the passage through both Houses of a resolution to authorise its discontinuation.
tabling member printed	Lord Lexden
uin	HL6181
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/02/2016 answer text <p>The House of Lords agreed to cease using vellum for public Acts in 1999, with a resolution to that effect being passed on 14 October 1999. That resolution still stands. At that time, the change was not agreed by the House of Commons.</p><p>In the past six years (2009/10 to 2014/15) the Lords has spent a total of £620,440 on vellum Acts; an average of just over £103,000 per year.</p><p>This is despite the availability of archival paper which is of extremely high quality and durability.</p><p>Private Acts of Parliament have been printed on archival quality paper since 1956, and I am not aware that vellum is now used for any other UK governmental or parliamentary records.</p><p>The National Archives has confirmed the view it took in 1999: that it does not require a vellum copy, and that archival quality paper is sufficient to maintain the public record. It also maintains a comprehensive database of legislation, both “as originally enacted” and “as amended”, on <a href="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/" target="_blank">www.legislation.gov.uk</a>.</p><p>Switching from vellum to high quality archival paper would, on a conservative estimate, save approximately 80% on current costs - or around £80,000 per year. The exact level of savings to public funds will depend on the number of Acts passed, and number of pages per Act, per year, and the precise specification and contractual arrangements agreed for future printing.</p><p>As well as being an expensive raw material, vellum requires a highly specialised form of printing which is not widely available, the machinery for which is expensive to maintain, and which is likely to be more difficult to procure on the expiry of the House’s current printing contract in March 2016.</p><p>As the start of a new Parliament seemed a natural point at which to implement the change previously agreed by this House, and we were coming to the end of present contracts, the House Committee was content that we were seeking to take forward the House’s 1999 decision. I then wrote to the Chairman of the House of Commons Administration Committee to invite that House to agree to the change. The view of the House of Commons authorities is that this is a matter for the House of Lords.</p> answering member printed Lord Laming question first answered 25/02/2016 17:44:37 answering member 2079 label Biography information for Lord Laming
tabling member	4202 label Biography information for Lord Lexden

448845

registered interest
date	28/01/2016
answering body	The Lord Chairman of Committees
answering dept id	200
answering dept short name
answering dept sort name	Chairman of Committees (HoL)
hansard heading	House of Lords: Employment Agencies
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask the Chairman of Committees how many agency staff are employed by the House of Lords; and whether those staff are paid the London Living Wage.
tabling member printed	Lord Storey
uin	HL5625
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/02/2016 answer text <p>The House currently employs approximately 34 agency staff in each sitting week. The majority of these staff are deployed in Catering and Retail Services.</p><p>The House of Lords is accredited by Citizens UK (CUK) as a London Living Wage Employer. The terms of its accreditation licence require that contractors and sub-contractors with dedicated staff who are based on parliamentary premises are paying those staff at least the London Living Wage.</p><p>In accordance with the terms of the accreditation licence, all agency staff are paid at least the London Living Wage rate from day 1 of week 9 if they are working on parliamentary premises and employed for at least two hours of work in a week, for 8 consecutive weeks in a year.</p> answering member printed Lord Laming question first answered 11/02/2016 17:59:00 answering member 2079 label Biography information for Lord Laming
tabling member	4238 label Biography information for Lord Storey

448848

registered interest
date	28/01/2016
answering body	The Lord Chairman of Committees
answering dept id	200
answering dept short name
answering dept sort name	Chairman of Committees (HoL)
hansard heading	House of Lords: Zero Hours Contracts
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask the Chairman of Committees how many people are employed by the House of Lords on zero-hours contracts.
tabling member printed	Lord Storey
uin	HL5628
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/02/2016 answer text <p>The House of Lords does not employ any staff on zero-hours contracts on an exclusive basis. It employs 21 staff on zero-hours contracts in the Catering and Retail Services department, primarily for banqueting events. These are roles where staffing demands vary significantly week to week and are often unpredictable. The House also employs 23 freelance Hansard reporters.</p><p>Zero-hours staff employed by the House of Lords are free to turn down shifts offered by the House. They have equivalent employment rights to full-time staff including pension and holiday pay entitlements, which are better than those of most agency staff. All staff in the House of Lords, including those on these contracts, are paid at least the London Living Wage.</p> answering member printed Lord Laming question first answered 11/02/2016 17:59:32 answering member 2079 label Biography information for Lord Laming
tabling member	4238 label Biography information for Lord Storey

448164

registered interest
date	27/01/2016
answering body	The Lord Chairman of Committees
answering dept id	200
answering dept short name
answering dept sort name	Chairman of Committees (HoL)
hansard heading	House of Lords: Catering
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask the Chairman of Committees which members of House of Lords' staff are entitled to free food or refreshments in the House's facilities.
tabling member printed	Lord Palmer
uin	HL5554
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/02/2016 answer text <p>Catering and Retail Services staff are provided with meals without charge during shifts, in accordance with arrangements made by the Head of Catering and Retail Services. This is standard practice in the hospitality industry.</p> answering member printed Lord Laming question first answered 10/02/2016 16:25:25 answering member 2079 label Biography information for Lord Laming
tabling member	3192 label Biography information for Lord Palmer

448165

registered interest
date	27/01/2016
answering body	The Lord Chairman of Committees
answering dept id	200
answering dept short name
answering dept sort name	Chairman of Committees (HoL)
hansard heading	Catering and Retail Services (HL)
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask the Chairman of Committees what is the new role of the previous manager of Catering and Retail Services; what are his responsibilities; and to whom he reports.
tabling member printed	Lord Palmer
uin	HL5555
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/02/2016 answer text <p>The postholder has been transferred to lead the Catering and Retail Services Change Programme on a full time basis until programme closure and then to embed its success into the Department’s business as usual activities. He reports to the Director of Facilities.</p> answering member printed Lord Laming question first answered 10/02/2016 17:40:49 answering member 2079 label Biography information for Lord Laming
tabling member	3192 label Biography information for Lord Palmer

447972

registered interest
date	26/01/2016
answering body	The Lord Chairman of Committees
answering dept id	200
answering dept short name
answering dept sort name	Chairman of Committees (HoL)
hansard heading	House of Lords: Bicycles
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask the Chairman of Committees whether the House will provide further bicycle parking spaces, and if so, when.
tabling member printed	Baroness Whitaker
uin	HL5466
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/02/2016 answer text <p>The House of Lords currently has 47 covered bicycle parking spaces in State Officers’ Court, 12 spaces in Chancellor’s Court and six spaces in Black Rod’s Garden. The House keeps opportunities to increase the number of spaces under review, and following completion of works on the Cast Iron Roofs and Chancellor’s Court, will consider again the provision of further bicycle parking spaces.</p> answering member printed Lord Laming question first answered 09/02/2016 15:34:26 answering member 2079 label Biography information for Lord Laming
tabling member	2510 label Biography information for Baroness Whitaker

446645

registered interest
date	21/01/2016
answering body	The Lord Chairman of Committees
answering dept id	200
answering dept short name
answering dept sort name	Chairman of Committees (HoL)
hansard heading	House of Lords: Flowers
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask the Chairman of Committees how much has been spent by the House of Lords on floristry services on the Parliamentary estate for each of the last five years for which figures are available.
tabling member printed	Baroness Corston
uin	HL5301
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/02/2016 answer text <p>The cost of flowers for the House of Lords is set out in the table below. These costs relate primarily to flowers in catering and retail outlets, and ceremonial events, such as state visits. The cost of flowers in the House of Commons portion of the Parliamentary estate is a matter for the House of Commons Commission.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Financial year</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Amount</strong> (<strong>£)</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2011/12</p></td><td><p>23,185</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2012/13</p></td><td><p>13,956</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2013/14</p></td><td><p>11,656</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2014/15</p></td><td><p>13,459</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2015/16 (to December 2015)</p></td><td><p>9,276</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>These figures do not include flowers for banqueting functions and other income generating business as these costs are paid for by the customer or revenue from the event.</p><p>Catering and Retail Services keeps its expenditure on flowers under review, to ensure that it is delivering best value to the taxpayer.</p> answering member printed Lord Laming question first answered 04/02/2016 14:03:47 answering member 2079 label Biography information for Lord Laming
tabling member	215 label Biography information for Baroness Corston

446646

registered interest
date	21/01/2016
answering body	The Lord Chairman of Committees
answering dept id	200
answering dept short name
answering dept sort name	Chairman of Committees (HoL)
hansard heading	House of Lords: Flowers
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask the Chairman of Committees when the current contract for floristry services is due for renewal.
tabling member printed	Baroness Corston
uin	HL5302
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/02/2016 answer text <p>The floristry services contract is due for re-tender ahead of the expiration of the current contract, in September 2017.</p> answering member printed Lord Laming question first answered 04/02/2016 11:49:31 answering member 2079 label Biography information for Lord Laming
tabling member	215 label Biography information for Baroness Corston

446691

registered interest
date	21/01/2016
answering body	The Lord Chairman of Committees
answering dept id	200
answering dept short name
answering dept sort name	Chairman of Committees (HoL)
hansard heading	Parliament: Paint
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask the Chairman of Committees what assessment he has made of the case for creating a circular economy for leftover paint in Parliament, in the light of the recommendations made in the British Coatings Federation’s interim report published on 19 November 2015.
tabling member printed	Baroness Redfern
uin	HL5347
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/02/2016 answer text <p>No formal assessment has been made of the Report. The House keeps minimal base colours in stock for touch-ups etc. and orders specific quantities as job requirements dictate. Any leftover paint is dealt with in compliance with legal disposal requirements.</p> answering member printed Lord Laming question first answered 04/02/2016 12:05:03 answering member 2079 label Biography information for Lord Laming
tabling member	4551 label Biography information for Baroness Redfern

444847

registered interest
date	14/01/2016
answering body	The Lord Chairman of Committees
answering dept id	200
answering dept short name
answering dept sort name	Chairman of Committees (HoL)
hansard heading	Peers: Oaths and Affirmations
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask the Chairman of Committees how many Peers have taken the Oath of Allegiance in the current Session.
tabling member printed	Lord Foulkes of Cumnock
uin	HL5045
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/01/2016 answer text <p>826 Members have taken the oath of allegiance or made the solemn affirmation in the current session. This includes 799 Peers and 27 Lords Spiritual. The figure includes Members who have subsequently died, taken leave of absence or retired during the session.</p> answering member printed Lord Laming question first answered 21/01/2016 12:19:32 answering member 2079 label Biography information for Lord Laming
tabling member	579 label Biography information for Lord Foulkes of Cumnock