§ Lord Tanlawasked the Chairman of Committees:
(a) how many peers or their secretaries or researchers, for whom they are allowed recoverable expenses, have an e-mail address on the Parliamentary Data and Video Network (PDVN); (b) what percentage of the total membership of the House this represents; and (c) what access points to the PDVN network are available on the Parliamentary Estate for those peers, secretaries or researchers who do not have desks. [HL2505]
§ The Chairman of Committees (Lord Boston of Faversham)The following information is correct as of Wednesday 17 May.
- (a) 177 Members and 40 Members' staff have e-mail addresses on the PDVN network.
- (b) The 177 Members with e-mail addresses represent 26 per cent of the total membership of the House.
- (c) In the House of Lords area of the Palace the following PDVN access points are available for Members or their staff who do not have desks:
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- (i) There are six connection points for PCs in the Peers' Writing Room: three for direct connection to the network, three for "modem" connection (via the telephone network).
- (ii) In the Computer Office (First Floor, West Front) one PC connected to the PDVN is available for the use of Members or their staff. Colour scanning and printing facilities are also available.
- (iii) In the House of Lords Library two PCs connected to the PDVN are available for the use of Members.
In addition, the PDVN can be accessed from all Members' offices which have been cabled. The majority of Members' offices in the Palace, and all Members' offices in the outbuildings, have now been cabled. All of the offices in 7 Little College Street and Millbank House will be cabled prior to their occupation by Members.