§ Mr. BarronTo ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee if the Committee has concluded its review of smoking in the general areas; and if she will make a statement. [35923]
§ Mrs. RoeAt its meeting on 10 March, the Administration Committee reviewed the submissions it had received from hon. Members and staff in response to an invitation on the All-Party Notices concerning smoking in general areas; hon. Members will recall that the Committee had particularly sought views on whether the existing no-smoking zones should be extended to include telephone kiosks, lavatories, private meetings in Committee, Conference and Interview Rooms, the Families' Room and corridors.
By the time of the meeting the Committee had received 54 responses, of which only three favoured the status quo being maintained; the remaining 51 favoured some extension of non-smoking zones, of which 48 supported an extension to include all of the aforementioned areas. Since the Committee's meeting, a further eight submissions, all supporting some extension, have been received, of which five favoured an extension of the no-smoking zones to include those areas specifically mentioned.
Based on these responses, the Committee concluded that there does indeed seem to be a general mood that the non-smoking zones be extended to the above areas, and therefore, the Committee has agreed to such an extension for a trial period from when the House returns after the Easter Adjournment until the House returns after the summer; in the autumn the Committee will review the trial.
However, hon. Members will wish to note that smoking will still be permitted on the Committee Corridor. This is to allow those hon. Members serving on Committees of the House to have an area to smoke during those brief periods when they are able to leave the Committee Room.
I understand that the Information Committee has endorsed a proposal by the Librarian that the Members' Library become a non-smoking area, and that this policy will also take effect on the return of the House after Easter; and I am advised that the Catering Committee and the Director of Catering Services are currently reviewing smoking policy in Refreshment Department outlets.
Finally, I wish to advise the hon. Gentleman that, at the request of the House of Commons Commission, the Administration Committee will be co-ordinating the views of the other relevant Domestic Committees, in order to formulate recommendations on those workplaces shared by both hon. Members and staff.
34W