§ Mr. Garel-Jonesasked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what steps are being taken to prevent overcrowding in the Strangers' Cafeteria at peak times.
§ Mr. St. John-StevasMr. Speaker has recently approved a recommendation from the Services Committee hat for an experimental trial period efforts should be made to ensure compliance with the rules for the use of the strangers' Cafeteria, especially the rule which allows only three guests per Member—(who must be accompanied)—to make use of the facilities from noon onwards. A new notice drawing attention to the rule will shortly be posted at the entrance and the entrance itself is to be manned at all peak times by a security or police officer. It is hoped by this means to ensure that hon. Members, their secretaries and the staff of the House are not inconvenienced by the presence in the Strangers' Cafeteria of large numbers of unauthorised persons.
I request all hon. Members to co-operate in this experiment, which will begin on Monday next, 15 December. If overcrowding continues to be a problem, it may be necessary to consider introducing more stringent rules.