§ LORD R. CHURCHILL (Paddington, S.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been drawn to the regulations for traffic through the West End of the Metropolis on Thursday; whether they will result in a total block of all wheeled traffic in the West End between the hours of 8 p.m. and 1 a.m.; whether he has considered the great inconvenience that may be caused to a large number of Members of Parliament who often leave the House at 8 and return about half-past 9; and whether he will instruct the police to facilitate the progress of Members going to and from the House?
§ MR. ASQUITHThe question has not been overlooked, and special instructions have been issued to secure that every possible facility shall be afforded by the police to Members of Parliament proceeding to and from the House. No street or thoroughfare will be closed to them under these or under any circumstances. I may add that the police venture to hope Members using the streets in vehicles on the evening in question will do so with consideration, and will avoid, as far as practicable, the most crowded throughfares. The Commissioner states, as an example, that Park Lane and Grosvenor Place will be open, not only to Members of Parliament, but to the general public on the night in question, and that Members coming from the north may easily get to the House of Commons by way of Birdcage Walk.
§ MR. BURDETT-COUTTS (Westminster)How are Members to prove their identity to the police? Will they have tickets issued for the purpose?
§ MR. ASQUITHThere will be no difficulty about that. If an hon. Member states who he is he will be allowed to pass.