Members (Facilities) (Hansard, 2 July 1969)

§ 36. Mr. Ogden
asked the Lord President of the Council what proposals he has to improve facilities for Members of Parliament inside the Palace of Westminster.

§ The Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons (Mr. Fred Peart)
The Services Committee is urgently considering a number of suggestions for improved facilities for Members. I hope that we shall report to the House before the Summer Recess.

§ Mr. Ogden
With all the respect and friendship that I can muster for my right hon. Friend, may I ask whether he is not aware that I was asking not what the Services Committee intends to do but what proposals he has? Surely he will remember many things which he wanted to do as a beck bencher and which he now has the power to do.

§ Mr. Peart
My hon. Friend is right. I am Chairman of the Committee appointed by the House, and my hon. Friend is partly responsible in that sense. I must carry the Services Committee with me. We are considering this matter, and I will do all I can in it.

§ Dame Irene Ward
Will the right hon. Gentleman bear in mind that all I want is a selection of appropriate envelopes and paper, which has been available to hon. Members for the 32 years I have been here, delivered to Ashworth's, where I dictate my letters, and not to be told that I have to cart my own paper up there all round the Palace of Westminster? Does not the right hon. Gentleman think that it would be a good idea to consider whether the Services Committee gets the support that it should from the Government?

§ Mr. Peart
I know that the hon. Member wants to do many things. I am always anxious to help her. This is only one item. The Services Committee is 424 considering the wider matter. I am quite sympathetic to what the hon. Lady wants.

§ Dr. John Dunwoody
Would my right hon. Friend not agree that Members of the House representing Greater London constituencies can telephone their constituencies free of charge while those who represent more distant constituencies cannot? Would he not agree that this is an anomaly which should be ended at the earliest possible moment?

§ Mr. Peart
I am aware of this, and, as I have said, we are looking at these things very carefully. I have taken the initiative on this, and so has the Services Committee, and we are discussing it.

§ Dr. Winstanley
May I draw the attention of the Leader of the House to the fact that, in the hope of assisting him in his efforts to carry the Services Committee with him, a Motion has been placed on the Paper today, with the signatures of 120 Members of all parties, calling for improvements in the services available to Members to assist them in doing their work?

§ Mr. Peart
I am aware of this. I have been a Member of the House for a quarter of a century now and I am aware of the needs of hon. Members. Members of all parties on the Services Committee are carefully examining the evidence and will come to conclusions. I beg hon. Members to have confidence in those hon. Members.

§ 43. Mr. Dickens
asked the Lord President of the Council if he will extend to Members the provision of Government cars and other facilities made available to take the staff of the House to their homes when the House sits late.

§ 44. Mr. Peter M. Jackson
asked the Lord President of the Council whether he will review the transport provisions for Members who are required to attend the House after midnight.

§ Mr. Peart
I will certainly bear this suggestion in mind, but there would be a greatly different scale of operation and costs involved in providing such facilities for Members. The facilities for late night staff cater for only about 35 persons on average, leaving on four or five routes to a constant pattern.

§ Mr. Dickens
But is my right hon. Friend not aware that hon. Members who lack their own private transport are at very serious disadvantage when the public transport ceases in London after midnight, and will he not look at the matter again? Would he not agree with me that the basic requirement is to ensure that hon. Members receive treatment no less adequate than that extended to the staff—in the Catering Department, the Library or the OFFICIAL REPORT?

§ Mr. Peart
I know my hon. Friend feels deeply about this, quite rightly. I understand the point, but there are difficulties here. I will look at this again, but there are difficulties.

§ Mr. Peter M. Jackson
I am sure my right hon. Friend is aware of the considerable expense to which hon. Members are put by having to return home by taxi after midnight, but is he also aware that they are precluded from claiming this expense against tax? Would he make representations to his right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer to see to it that this is allowable for tax purposes? I regard this as an absurd anomaly.

§ Mr. Peart
My hon. Friend must realise that that is a different matter, but I will look at the whole question of amenities for hon. Members. I am not unsympathetic.

§ 45. Mr. Speed
asked the Lord President of the Council what proportion of Members, excluding Ministers, now have the sole use of an office in the Palace of Westminster.

§ Mr. Peart
Seventy-eight Members, excluding Ministers, have single rooms in the precincts; that is, about 15 per cent. of the membership of the House, excluding Ministers.

§ Mr. Speed
Does not the Minister agree that these facilities are not primarily for the comfort and convenience of hon. Members but for the efficient discharge of their duties as Members of Parliament? Will he say when the hon. Members who require these facilities will be able to take them up?

§ Mr. Peart
That is why not long ago we had a major debate on the new building which would solve this problem. I accept what the hon. Member has said, 426 but this was the situation long before I was Leader of the House.

§ Mr. William Hamilton
Does not my right hon. Friend agree that high priority should be given to the provision of a separate room for the Chairman of each Select Committee of the House, and that this is much more important than providing separate rooms for back benchers who have no responsibility?

§ Mr. Peart
I accept that. I take note of what my hon. Friend has said. Representations have been made to me, but I have to balance the priorities.

§ Sir Harmar Nicholls
Will the Leader of the House bear in mind another point of view, that putting every hon. Member into a separate room may undermine the real influence of Parliament, end the community spirit and weaken the exchange of ideas between Members? I see no proof that putting people into little holes will improve the services which Members give.

§ Mr. Peart
Speaking purely for myself, I think that the hon. Member is wrong. I would hope that when we improve accommodation, and this depends on the new building which is a long time away, this will help hon. Members who so wish to have an individual room. Much as I like the hon. Member, I should hate to work with him.