§ Mr. Irvingasked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many staff are employed by his Department in the House of Commons (a) before 11 pm and (b) after 11 pm in the event of the House sitting after 10.30 pm; what functions are performed by these staff; and how many are employed in each role.
§ Sir George Young(a) 21 staff are normally employed in the House of Commons between 4.30 pm and 11.30 pm, of whom 11 are shift workers following their normal rotas;
(b) after 11.30 pm 20 members of staff, including the 11 shift workers, remain on duty if the House is sitting.
The shift staff carry out routine maintenance and attend to emergency repairs. They are a heating fitter and mate, an electrician and mate, a lift fitter and mate and two stokers. They are supervised by a team of three control engineers.
The "semi-shift" staff, who remain on duty until one hour after the rising of the House, are a lighting attendant" a heating attendant and a plant attendant who answer emergency calls; three lift attendants; an electronics 429W engineer and mate to deal with breakdowns in security equipment; and two cleaners to attend to emergency cleaning.