§ Mr. Moneyasked the Lord President of the Council whether he will make a statement on the facilities for mass lobbying by constituents in the Palace of Westminster.
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§ Mr. Edward ShortAs the hon. Member is already aware, the Services Committee has examined the arrangements for mass lobbies and advised Mr. Speaker of its recommendations in its Second Report of the Session 1971–72. All these proposals have now been implemented so far as the present state of New Palace Yard permits.
Mr. Speaker has accepted the Services Committee's recommendations of 10th April 1973 that Committee Rooms on the Committee Corridor should not be made available for meetings in connection with mass lobbies but that, subject to the overriding need of Select and Standing Committees, priority of the use of the Grand Committee Room, Westminster Hall, should between the hours of 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. be given to meetings booked by Members in connection with mass lobbies. Constituents attending a mass lobby can, therefore, see their Member in the Central Lobby, as space permits, or in meetings booked by the Member in the Grand Committee Room, Westminster Hall.