HC Deb 31 July 1972 vol 842 c33W
Mr. Hamling

asked the Lord President of the Council if he will take steps to amend the rule that persons sitting in the Strangers' Gallery may not make notes on parliamentary proceedings, in view of the facts that many of those persons are students, and that the reporting of parliamentary proceedings is no longer a breach of privilege.

Mr. R. Carr

No. Note-taking cannot be satisfactorily distinguished from reporting, and reporting is the function of the Press Gallery. Any significant number of reporters in the Strangers' Gallery would reduce the accommodation available to the general public.