§ 31. Mr. ButlerTo ask the Lord President of the Council if he has any plans to improve facilities in the Members' changing room.
§ Sir Geoffrey HoweI understand that certain improvements will be made as a consequence of a request made by my hon. Friend.
§ Mr. ButlerDoes my right hon. and learned Friend accept that the area is especially seedy? There is even a machine that looks as though it had come out of Frankenstein's laboratory.
§ Sir Geoffrey HoweI came to a not dissimilar conclusion when I visited that part of the premises the other day. I told my hon. Friend that it struck me as not so much seedy as quaint. It looked like part of a set left over from the Ealing Studios. It was surprising to learn that the area had been refurbished and redecorated—although before my time—as recently as 1986. However, I will arrange for the matter to be looked at again.
§ Mr. MorganWill the Lord President examine the possibility of making better use of the main central area of the changing room, which is not used for changing or anything else, but is simply occupied by a large round table of no value at all? Could that be replaced by a ping-pong table, which would at least enable people to have some activity to keep themselves mentally and physically alert during late-night sittings?
§ Sir Geoffrey HoweI hope that the hon. Gentleman does not need entertainment of that type to keep him alert during late-night sittings. I am not convinced that the space is large enough for a ping-pong table. However, I agree that the use of corners of accommodation in this intensely crowded building could be re-examined during the space audit now taking place.