§ Sir Anthony Grantasked the Lord Privy Seal what is his estimate of the increase in the number of public visiting the Palace of Westminster over the last 10 years; what is his estimate of the resultant increased cost to public funds; whether he is satisfied with the necessary security arrangements; if he will raise with the Services Committee the possibility of placing a box for voluntary contributions towards the upkeep of the Palace at points of ingress and egress; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Biffen[pursuant to his reply, 22 July 1986]: Since 1979 the number of visitors to the Palace of Westminster, apart from visitors to the Public Gallery, has been restricted to those who are either sponsored by a Member of both Houses, or who come as guests of those who work 282W here. In 1985 the Palace of Westminster was visited by about a quarter of the number of visitors in 1975. The Services Committee has always taken a keen interest in the number of visitors on the line of route and for a variety of reasons, since 1979, this number has been restricted to a maximum of 1,000 on any one day. The security arrangements are kept continually under review.
Successive Administrations have accepted that the costs of the upkeep of the Palace of Westminster, which include the cost of controlling visits, are a legitimate charge on public funds.