HC Deb 26 July 1976 vol 916 cc23-5
22. Mr. Canavan

asked the Lord President of the Council what steps were taken to ameliorate working conditions of hon. Members and staff of the House of Commons during the recent heat-wave.

The Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons (Mr. Michael Foot)

Before the hot spell began, major improvements in the ventilation system had already been carried out, including a new system in the police mess, and air conditioning had been provided in the Members' and Strangers' Cafeterias. New ceiling fans were installed in the kitchens, other fans were reallocated and 200 extra fans were borrowed from the RAF. The police, custodians and staff of the Refreshment Department were permitted to work in shirt-sleeves. I am sure the whole House will be grateful to all the staff for providing their normal service during what were often very difficult conditions.

Mr. Canavan

Is there any truth in the report that some of the new electric fans are imported from Japan? If that is so, is it not a disgraceful discrimination against British industry? Would it not be a good idea to bring Parliament into the twentieth century by not forcing the Badge Messengers to wear penguin suits or Mr. Speaker and his staff to wear wigs?

Mr. Foot

I agree with my hon. Friend. I shall deal with the jackets worn by the Doorkeepers on the next Question. I agree that there should be a more radical treatment of the whole question, but that would involve major changes in the building itself.

The fan in my office was made in England; I checked on that. I also checked on where the other fans came from and I found that about 14 came from Japan, but that was out of a total of about 200, the overwhelming majority of which came from this country. We took steps to get them as speedily as possible to deal with the situation.

Mr. Biggs-Davison

Will the right hon. Gentleman consider, as is the practice in Commonwealth legislatures, designing a dignified attire which would be suited to sub-tropical conditions when they occur?

Mr. Foot

That is the subject of the next Question, which has been tabled by the hon. Member for Banbury (Mr. Marten).

Mrs. Dunwoody

Does my right hon. Friend think that it would be more constructive towards helping staff in this noble establishment if a way could be found of telling them when they will have to work many hours of overtime, which they do without previous notice? Is there not some way of making the system more flexible instead of expecting the staff to go on hour after hour in conditions which are intolerable in a building which is not covered by the Offices, Shops and Railway Premises Act?

Mr. Foot

There are many improvements that could be made in the conditions of those who work so well for the House. There are also improvements that could be made in providing more information when possible. I shall make further inquiries about the matter.

Mr. Beith

Does the Leader of the House agree that the problem is not primarily one of dress, because it does not arise mainly in the Chamber or in the Members' Lobby? Is he aware that even if hon. Members and staff had conducted proceedings in Committee and their offices and had worked in the nude they would still have found it too hot in the recent weather? Does he not agree that the problem would be much reduced if we conducted most of our business in the cooler part of the year and took our holidays in the hotter part?

Mr. Foot

These are questions that can be considered by the new Procedure Committee. But I am not sure whether the Committee will be able to solve that problem.