§ 35. Mr. Speedasked the Lord Privy Seal if he will list those areas of the Palace of Westminster which were restricted to Members of Parliament and officers of the House 15 years ago but which carry no such current restriction.
§ Mr. BiffenThe only two changes in the last 15 years are that the secretaries of Members with rooms in Commons Court building are now permitted to use the lift 16 in that building; and Members' secretaries are permitted to collect mail from the Members' post office until 2 pm on a Friday on which the House sits.
§ Mr. SpeedI thank my right hon. Friend for that reply. It seems to me and to many other right hon. and hon. Members that there is a plethora of research assistants and others, not least in the Corridor from the Members' Lobby through to the Members' Cloak Room. This seems to me to inhibit not only security but the character of the Corridors of the House.
§ Mr. SkinnerThey are new Members.
§ Mr. SpeedBy now we know the new Members. Will my right hon. Friend ensure that only hon. Members and the others referred to by him are allowed in these various Corridors?
§ Mr. BiffenI agree that most right hon. and hon. Members aspire to having a retinue of secretaries and research assistants, and this gives rise to the great difficulties to which my hon. Friend refers. The question of access is under consideration by the Accommodation and Administration Sub-Committee of the Services Committee, to which I shall make known my hon. Friend's views.