HC Deb 27 April 1967 vol 745 cc350-2W
Mr. David Watkins

asked the Lord President of the Council what arrangements are being made for Members to take visitors round the Palace of Westminster during the coming summer, in view of the fact that only two mornings a week are now available.

Mr. Crossman

Over the last few years there has been a considerable increase in visitors wishing to see round the Palace of Westminster, and in the particularly busy months of June and July unacceptable congestion has occurred. The introduction of morning sittings, limiting the Line of Route to only two mornings per week, will undoubtedly make this already unacceptable situation worse.

The Services Committee has given very careful consideration to this problem and has decided that, for the months of June and July of this year, severe restriction must be imposed on the numbers visiting the Palace on Tuesday and Thursday mornings.

The Services Committee has therefore made the following recommendations to Mr. Speaker, in order to control the number of visitors on Tuesdays and Thursdays during June and July.

1. There will be no further restrictions on Members themselves taking round parties of up to six people.

2. (a) No party of more than six people can be taken along the Line of Route, whether it is personally conducted by a Member or not, unless the Member arranging the party has obtained a special permit from the Serjeant at Arms' Office.

(b) Thirty of these special permits will be available each day. They must be booked personally in the Serjeant at Arms' Office and will be issued on a first come, first served basis; no party may exceed 32 in number, and Members will be restricted to one permit only per day.

3. In view of these new arrangements, any ordinary permits already issued for June and July this year will cease to be valid and Members who have arranged for parties should apply to the Serjeant at Arms' Office for the new permits.

4. Members sponsoring parties on behalf of the C.O.I. etc., which will also require new permits, are asked to ensure that these parties should start as soon after 10 a.m. as possible and be clear of the Line of Route by 11 a.m.

5. A Policed Line of Route will be in operation from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on every non-public day during the Whitsun and Summer Recesses, and there will be no restriction on the number of parties which Members can accompany in person, or provide with a permit obtainable from the Serjeant at Arms' Office.

In order to help themselves and their parties as much as possible, Members are requested to:—

  1. (i) Arrange whenever possible for their parties to start going round as soon after 10 a.m. as possible, rather than later in the forenoon, and
  2. (ii) Divert parties where possible to days during the Recesses.
  3. (iii) London and Home Counties Members are also asked to let provincial Members have priority for their parties during June and July.