Visitor Facilities (Hansard, 25 July 2000)

§ 42. Angela Smith (Basildon)
What matters relating to facilities for visitors were discussed at the Commission's last meeting. [130613]

§ Mr. Archy Kirkwood (on behalf of the House of Commons Commission)
A decision to include plans for a visitors centre was taken by the Commission during recent consideration of the next three-year rolling programme of expenditure.

§ Angela Smith
I thank the hon. Gentleman for that answer. It is one of the most welcome answers that I have 896 received as a Member of Parliament. I congratulate the hon. Gentleman on personally pursuing the matter. Flushed with success on the issue, there is another that I wish to raise with him. I shall do that later in the year.

§ Mr. Kirkwood
Let me return the compliment. The hon. Lady's intelligent and persistent use of oral and written questions on the subject—[Interruption] Hon. Members may groan, but the hon. Lady's questioning helped to persuade the Commission of the urgent need for visitor facilities to be established in this place as soon as possible.

§ Miss Anne McIntosh (Vale of York)
Would the hon. Gentleman consider increasing dining facilities for hon. Members so that they could invite more than three guests, especially to Portcullis House? Could the three-guest limit for each Member of Parliament be increased?

§ Mr. Kirkwood
That is an absolutely fair point. The Catering Committee will be able to reconsider the rules because more dining facilities will be available to hon. Member when Portcullis House is commissioned, which we hope will happen in the autumn. Hon. Members may be able to take more guests into the accommodation provided by the Catering Committee, but, strictly speaking, that is a matter for the Committee.

§ Madam Speaker
It is.