HC Deb 13 November 1989 vol 160 cc24-5
92. Mr. Thurnham

To ask the Lord President of the Council whether he will review the procedures for testing Division Bells.

Sir Geoffrey Howe

No. I refer my hon. Friend to the reply that I gave him on 24 October. I am not aware of any general concern over our current Division Bell testing procedure.

Mr. Thurnham

Will my right hon. and learned Friend see what he can do to avoid the disturbance created by testing the Division Bells at 9 o'clock every morning when hon. Members are at their desks trying to work and make telephone calls? What is the statistical justification for testing the Division Bells every day? Could not the engineers test them just as well at 2.30 pm as at 9 am?

Sir Geoffrey Howe

The habit of testing the Division Bells by this physical means has been in place for a long time. It has been found to be convenient for that relatively unadvanced piece of technology. It seems to work satisfactorily and it does not disturb as many hon. Members at 9 am as it might later in the day. My hon. Friend is among a relatively small minority of hon. Members to be found on the premises complaining about the early testing of the alarm systems.