§ Mr. DismoreTo ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, what plans he has to review the number of passes available to hon. Members for their staff following the recent changes in staffing levels consequent on the SSRB report; and if he will make a statement. [21400]
538W
§ Mr. KirkwoodI understand that the principles underlying the issue of photo-identity passes to Members' staff were considered by the Administration Committee on 14 November 2001 in the context of the recommendation of the SSRB report that hon. Members should be enabled to employ up to the equivalent of three full-time staff. I also understand that the Committee agreed that the current regulation approved by the House in 1989 whereby no hon. Member is entitled to apply for a photo-identity pass for more than three individual members of their personal staff may be interpreted to take account of job-share and part-time staff. The Commission has no plans to carry out a further review of the number of passes available to hon. Members for their staff at present.