§ Mr. Ron DaviesTo ask the Lord President of the Council whether any exceptions are made to the provision that access to the Table Office be restricted to hon. Members after 2 pm.
§ Mr. WakehamIn paragraph 33 of its report on access to the precincts of the House (Session 1987–88, HC 580) the Select Committee on House of Commons (Services) recommended that Members' research assistants should in future not be permitted to use the Table Office after 2 pin on Mondays to Thursdays. I understand that Mr. Speaker subsequently accepted the view of the Table Office that it would be impracticable to distinguish between Members' research assistants and their other staff, and accordingly ruled that the restriction should apply to all Members' personal staff.
The restriction on access to the Table Office came into effect on Monday 6 February. It does not apply to the permanent staff of the House or to civil servants who possess photo-identity passes for the Palace of Westminster, which in practice means those civil servants employed in the Whips' Offices of the Government and the Official Opposition. I understand that Mr. Speaker has agreed that an exception should be made in respect of a strictly limited number of persons nominated by each of the minority parties, for the purpose of transacting party business in the Table Office during the restricted hours, even though such persons may hold photo-identity passes as Members' secretaries or research assistants.