§ Her Majesty having graciously agreed that the control use and occupation of the Palace of Westminster and its precincts shall be permanently enjoyed by the Houses of Parliament saving always Her Majesty"s Robing Room, the staircase and ante-room thereto adjoining and the Royal Gallery which are to remain under the control of the Lord Great Chamberlain whose hereditary functions on royal occasions shall also be maintained, the Government have decided that:—
§ 1. The Minister of Public Building and Works shall continue to be responsible to Parliament for the fabric of the Palace and subject to Parliament for its upkeep and any extension and alteration thereof and the provision of furnishing, fuel and light therefor.
§ 2. Subject to the reservations specifically made herein to the Lord Great Chamberlain as representing the Queen and the Minister of Public Building and Works, the control of the accommodation and services in that part of the Palace and its precincts now occupied by or on behalf of the House of Lords shall be vested in the Lord Chancellor as Speaker of the House of Lords on behalf of that House.
§
Subject as aforesaid the control of the accommodation and services in that part of the Palace and its precincts now occupied by or on behalf of the House of Commons shall be vested in Mr. Speaker on behalf of that House.
The said respective parts are shown on the plans attached hereto.*
§ 3. The control of Westminster Hall and the Crypt Chapel shall be vested jointly in the Lord Great Chamberlain and in the two Speakers on behalf of the two Houses. Subject thereto the Minister of Public Building and Works shall be responsible for the day-to-day management of Westminster Hall and the Crypt Chapel.
§ 4. The Minister of Public Building and Works shall be responsible, subject to the arrangements made under the next succeeding paragraph, to both Houses for the provision of such custodians and guides as may be necessary for the Palace.
§ It is recognised that the powers vested as aforesaid in the Lord Chancellor and Mr. Speaker on behalf of the House of Lords and House of Commons respectively may be delegated by each House to such Committee or other authority as it may choose and any such Committee or authority may use such agents for such purposes connected with the exercise of the said powers as it may think fit.
§
It will be for the Speakers of the two Houses to make arrangements for
the pro-
* Available in the House of Commons Library.
333
vision of such police as may be necessary for the Palace.
§ The co-heirs in whom the hereditary Office of Lord Great Chamberlain is at present vested, that is to say, the Marquess of Cholmondeley, the Earl of Ancaster and the descendants of the late Charles Robert Marquess of Lincolnshire, who have inherited his rights of co-heirship, desire to record their humble obedience to Her Majesty"s commands with respect to the future control use and occupat on of the Palace of Westminster.
§ It is intended that these arrangements shall become effective on 26th April next.