§ Mr. MackinlayTo ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee if he will take measures to assist(a) hon. Members, (b) members of the press gallery and (c) officials of the House in giving access to the precincts of the House to work experience/school students. [12032]
§ Mrs. RoeThe Administration Committee has no responsibility for(a) and (b). With respect to (c), I wish to advise the hon. Gentleman that the Establishments Office of the Finance and Administration Department co-ordinates a work experience scheme through which Departments of the House accommodate students who wish to spend a period of time working at the House of Commons.
Students who express an interest in such work experience are asked to supply details of the type of work in which they are interested and the dates on which they are available. Details are then circulated to departments to ascertain the availability of suitable opportunities.
The Establishment Office endeavours to place 12 students each year for periods of between one and two weeks—more than 20 students have been placed within departments of the House in the last 12 months. The students are not paid, but travelling expenses are re-imbursed.
The education unit has for 17 years arranged a special programme of autumn visits for senior school students, and an extension to this scheme, to run on sitting Wednesdays, was approved in March this year. This is in addition to the large numbers of tours given by hon. Members themselves for individual school parties.