§ Mr. PageTo ask the Lord President of the Council what arrangements have been made to exhibit prototypes of the proposed new lighting system for the Chamber.
§ Mr. MacGregorAs is said in paragraph 131 of the First Report of the Select Committee on Broadcasting (HC 11 of Session 1990–91), work has been continuing
to find a suitable design for a new permanent lighting system [for the Chamber] which not only meets the technical specifications for the production of television pictures of broadcastable quality, but which is also aesthetically acceptable".A suitable design, an illustrative sketch of which was published with the Select Committee's report, has now been produced by the Parliamentary Works Office on the basis of specifications drawn up by the Committee's technical advisers, and, so far as aesthetic considerations are concerned, with the collaboration of English Heritage. Although the latter would have preferred a solution which involved upgrading the existing ceiling lights, detailed camera tests have indicated that such an approach would not have provided illumination of the quality required for broadcasting purposes. English Heritage are, however, content that the proposed design represents an acceptable compromise, given the need, on technical grounds, for some form of suspended lighting.
In order to give the House a proper opportunity to evaluate the appearance of the new lights under operational conditions, it is proposed that a pair of full-size prototypes should be hung in the Chamber from Tuesday 7 May to Friday 17 May inclusive. The prototypes, which will be fully lit for televising purposes, will be accompanied by four of the existing temporary lanterns—the remaining four will be winched up to the ceiling. Trials carried out before the Easter recess have indicated provisionally that it should be possible to achieve the required level of illumination under the permanent system by fitting only six of the proposed new lights.
The points at which the prototypes are hung for demonstration purposes will not necessarily coincide exactly with their eventual permanent positions and there will be some unavoidable asymmetry as between the prototypes and the four existing temporary lights during the two weeks trial period. This will of course be rectified as part of the permanent installation, which, assuming a favourable response to the trial, is expected to take place during the coming summer recess.
The prototypes make use of the most up to date lighting technology, which should provide advantages over the temporary lanterns in two distinct areas. First, the new design allows for the set of tubular strip-lights fitted behind each of the six opaque glass panels forming the hexagonal outer casing of the lamps to be dimmed 185W separately, thus enabling any potential problems of glare for those working in the Galleries to be minimised. Second, the prototypes offer significant gains in energy efficiency, with the result that the total heat output from the six proposed new lights will be only about a quarter of that generated by the eight existing makeshift chandeliers.
Right hon. and hon. Members, and others working within the House, who wish to express a view on the proposed new lights are requested to write to the Clerk of the Select Committee on Broadcasting, Committee Office, House of Commons by 23 May.