§ Lord Brockwayasked the Leader of the House:
What is the weekly payment to the cleaners of the Houses of Parliament, including the House of Lords; what is the number of hours they work; and whether the House authorities will encourage negotitations with the relevant trade union regarding their conditions.
§ The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (Baroness Young)For those cleaners employed by one of the two Houses or by the Property Services Agency, the information is as follows:
A claim for an increase in the pay of the non-industrial Civil Service generally (including cleaners) has recently been submitted by the Council of Civil Service Unions, and will be considered by the Government. Increases in the pay of cleaners in the House of Lords follow those in the non-industrial Civil Service. The pay of industrial Civil Service cleaners is settled in the context of the general pay settlement for the industrial Civil Service, for which negotiations are not expected to begin until next spring. The pay of cleaners employed by cleaning contractors used in the Palace of Westminster is a matter for the contractors themselves. The pay and conditions of service of cleaners in the House of Commons is a matter for that House.
(i) House of Lords Cleaners £40.58 for 21 hours per week (ii) Property Services Agency— Industrial Civil Service Cleaners £99.47 for 40 hours per week (in addition some overtime may be worked) Non-Industrial Civil Service Cleaners £57.99 for 30 hours per week.