HC Deb 26 November 2002 vol 395 cc162-3
51. Mr. David Kidney (Stafford)

What assessment the Commission has made of the costs of making the Commons Chamber accessible to tour groups when the House is sitting. [81516]

Mr. Archy Kirkwood (on behalf of the House of Commons Commission)

The trial period will begin when the House returns in January and will end at the Easter recess. Tour groups will be able to view the Chamber from the area at the back of the Strangers Gallery. Glazing will be installed in the apertures behind the seats in the Gallery to provide soundproofing, and additional audio speakers will be installed in the viewing area. Full details of the cost of this work are not yet available, but it is not expected to be large and will be found from existing budgets.

Mr. Kidney

I thank the hon. Gentleman for his answer, which has obviously caused some interest around the Chamber. Will he accept that when we move to the new sitting hours in January, there will be reduced opportunities for visitors to visit the Chamber when it is empty? Does he share my sense of urgency that we should have a permanent arrangement as soon as possible for visits to take place while we are sitting, as he has just described?

Mr. Kirkwood

The hon. Gentleman's interest in that subject as a member of the Modernisation Committee is well known and noted. This is an experiment, and I hope that Members feed back their experience of that temporary arrangement between January and Easter. Once we have the benefit of that behind us, we shall look forward—in the not too distant future, I hope—to permanent arrangements being made.

Forward to