Members’ Handbook

June 2017

Welcome to the Members’ Handbook, which Members’ introduces you to the key services and facilities provided by the House to help you as a Member of Handbook Parliament. We have produced a separate guide for your staff. This document also outlines your responsibilities, such as following the standards in the Members’ Code of Conduct and the House’s Respect and ICT Acceptable Use Policies, which are set out from p14. Staff across the House Service and Parliamentary Digital Service are here to support you and your staff. Please take some time to read this handbook, as it will guide you to services that will help you in your job. If you are unclear whether something is available, please ask. This guide, and further information on all topics, can be found on the intranet: intranet.parliament.uk/ commons-members-handbook Contact information is given throughout, with a summary on p9. CONTENTS

Key contacts 9 Equipment provided by the House Service 46 Event safety 46 Essentials – Everyone’s responsibility 10 Visitor safety 46 Rules you must observe 14 Safety advice 46 Health and safety away from Parliament 46 Use of parliamentary resources 14 Asbestos 47 Code of Conduct for Members of Parliament 15 Fire safety and emergency evacuation 47 Respect Policy 20 Safeguarding policy Accomodation 52 (children and vulnerable adults) 21 Office accommodation – permanent Statement on what Members can expect from accommodation 52 the House Service, and on what is expected in return 21 ICT Acceptable Use Policy for Members of the Services and equipment 56 House of Commons and your staff 23 ICT 56 Access to the Estate 28 Other services 60 Access regulations 28 Finance 64 Information for Members with disabilities 29 Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) 64 Security 34 Your salary and expenses 64 Pensions 64 Passes 34 Personal catering and retail accounts 65 Security clearance for Members’ staff 35 Travel 65 Cyber security 35 Insurances 66 Personal safety 38 Death of a Member 67 Security 38 Emergencies 40 Employment of staff 70 Health and safety 44 Members’ HR Advice Service 70 Employee Assistance Programme 71 Health and safety at Parliament 44 Security clearance for Members’ staff 71 Accidents, injuries or medical emergencies 45 Pensions 71 Parliamentary buildings and Estate operations 46 Legislation 71 Westminster Gym 98 Staff training 72 Hairdressing salon 98 Constituency events 73 Retail and shops 99 Death of a member of staff 73 Chapel and Chaplain 99 Chamber services 76 Smoking and use of e-cigarettes 99 Photography, filming, radio and drawing 100 Procedural Hub 76 Medical facilities 103 Members’ professional development (MPD) 79 Hansard reporting 79 Building work on the Estate 106 Select committees 81 Northern Estate 106 Information services 84 Palace of Westminster 107 House of Commons Library 84 Room bookings, events and exhibitions 110 Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (POST) 85 Room bookings 110 National Audit Office (NAO) 86 Food and drink for meetings 111 Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman 86 Exhibitions 111 Sources of information for constituents 87 Performance events 113 Parliamentary Archives 88 House of Commons venue hire 113 Freedom of information, data protection and environmental information regulations requests 89 Visitors and guests 116 Information Commissioner 91 Access arrangements for spouses or partners 116 Visitors to Parliament 116 Facilities 94 Access to the Terrace 117 Education Service 117 Catering services 94 Democratic Access Tours of Parliament (Members’ Tours) 118 Members’ showers and changing rooms 96 Outreach and Engagement Service 118 Members’ cloakroom and lockers 97 Public Gallery 119 Families and children 97 Nursery 97 Appendices 122 Lost property 98 Appendix I – Key contacts 122 Cash machines 98 Appendix II – Maps 125 9

Key contacts

(See also full list of contacts at Appendix I.) All four-digit extensions should be prefixed 020 7219 if dialled from the constituency or outside the Parliamentary Estate. Switchboard x3000, Switchboard supervisor x6161 Security x3333 in an emergency, or 999 if off the Estate Security x5311 non-emergencies Parliamentary Security Department x2244 [email protected] Procedural Hub x7333 Library x3666 Digital Support Desk x2001 [email protected] Parliamentary Maintenance Services Team (maintenance and cleaning) x4747 Accommodation and Logistics (Westminster offices) x1319 [email protected] Members’ HR Advice Service x2080 [email protected] Serjeant at Arms (e.g. access rules) x3030 [email protected] Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) 020 7811 6400 [email protected] We welcome feedback, so please visit www.parliament. uk/feedback to read our policy or share your compliments, complaints and comments. You can also email us directly at [email protected]. 10 11

Essentials – Everyone’s responsibility 1. Familiarise yourself with the rules on passes and security – always 4. There are certain places where you can find peace and quiet, wear your pass inside the Parliamentary Estate, but remember to for example, the Library is a great place to sit and work, commission take it off outside. House staff have been asked to challenge people research or check facts. Find the Members’ Library near the not wearing their passes and we hope you will do so too. Chamber or ring x3666 to book an introduction. The Library has wi-fi throughout and is private to Members. There is a separate 2. Complete your mandatory fire safety training and ensure your staff Library in Derby Gate for your staff. do too. This and other training from the House is listed on our learning management system, Act (parliament.learningpool.com). 5. Face-to-face Security and IT help is available at the Drop-In at the top of the escalators in Portcullis House. Top eight tips 6. For advice on any aspect of procedure speak to the Clerks in the 1. House staff are not civil servants but are employed by the House Chamber or in the Procedural Hub in the Members’ Centre in of Commons Commission. They are here to help you be effective, Portcullis House, or call x7333. are politically impartial and are proud to support a thriving parliamentary democracy. Please ask them if you need any help. 7. We have complex access rules. For on-the-spot help ask the Doorkeepers or security staff. 2. Ask us or skim this guide before procuring services yourself, because we may provide more services than you expect – insurance, travel, 8. Book your staff onto one of our Westminster or regional research, a nursery, HR advice. We are always trying to improve and constituency events so they can learn about our services and develop these services, so even if you are a returning Member you network with other House and Members’ staff in a non-political may not have up-to-date information. environment. 3. Advice on employing staff is available from the Members’ HR Advice Service, but IPSA provides model contracts, pays your staff, and sets the rules around expenses, so make sure you make contact with your IPSA Account Manager to discuss any of these issues. 12 13

RULES YOU MUST OBSERVE

Use of parliamentary resources 14 Code of Conduct for Members of Parliament 15 Respect Policy 20 Safeguarding Policy (Children and vunerable adults) 21 Statement of what Members can expect from the House Service, and on what is expected in return 21 ICT Acceptable Use Policy for Members of the House of Commons and your staff 23 14 15

Rules you must observe You must never undertake any action which would cause significant damage to the reputation and integrity of This section of the handbook sets out the mandatory the House of Commons as a whole, or of its standards with which you must comply as a Member Members generally. of Parliament. You are personally responsible for familiarising yourself with Code of Conduct for Members of Parliament and adhering to the Members’ Code of Conduct, including The Members’ Code of Conduct has been agreed by the when breaches may have been caused by the actions of House of Commons and establishes the standards and your staff. principles of conduct expected from all Members. You should also make yourself familiar with the Statement Prepared pursuant to the Resolution of the House of 19 on what Members can expect from the House Service, and July 1995. on what is expected in return (p20). I. Purpose of the Code Use of parliamentary resources 1. The purpose of this Code of Conduct is to assist all Members in the discharge of their obligations to the The House provides various facilities and services to House, their constituents and the public at large by: Members, the cost of which is either met in full or subsidised by public funds. These include, but are not limited to: a. establishing the standards and principles of conduct expected of all Members in undertaking their duties; Accommodation, including offices and meeting rooms b. setting the rules of conduct which underpin these standards and principles and to which all Members Stationery and postage must adhere; and in so doing Research support c. ensuring public confidence in the standards expected of all Members and in the commitment of the House to Computer equipment and services upholding these rules. Catering facilities. II. Scope of the Code 2. The Code applies to Members in all aspects of their public You are personally responsible and accountable for ensuring life. It does not seek to regulate what Members do in their that your use of any expenses, allowances, facilities and private and personal lives. services provided from the public purse is in accordance with the rules. 3. The obligations set out in this Code are complementary to those which apply to all Members by virtue of the You must ensure that your use of public resources is always procedural and other rules of the House and the rulings in support of your parliamentary duties. It must not confer of the Chair, and to those which apply to Members falling any undue personal or financial benefit on you or anyone within the scope of the Ministerial Code. else, or confer undue advantage on a political organisation. 16 17

III. Duties of members Objectivity 4. By virtue of the oath, or affirmation, of allegiance In carrying out public business, including making public taken by all Members when they are elected to the appointments, awarding contracts, or recommending House, Members have a duty to be faithful and bear individuals for rewards and benefits, holders of public true allegiance to Her Majesty the Queen, her heirs and office should make choices on merit. successors, according to law. Accountability 5. Members have a duty to uphold the law, including the Holders of public office are accountable for their decisions general law against discrimination. and actions to the public and must submit themselves to 6. Members have a general duty to act in the interests of the whatever scrutiny is appropriate to their office. nation as a whole; and a special duty to their constituents. Openness 7. Members should act on all occasions in accordance with Holders of public office should be as open as possible about the public trust placed in them. They should always behave all the decisions and actions that they take. They should with probity and integrity, including in their use of public give reasons for their decisions and restrict information only resources. when the wider public interest clearly demands. IV. General principles of conduct Honesty 8. In carrying out their parliamentary and public duties, Holders of public office have a duty to declare any private Members will be expected to observe the following interests relating to their public duties and to take steps general principles of conduct identified by the Committee to resolve any conflicts arising in a way that protects the on Standards in Public Life in its First Report as applying public interest. to holders of public office.1 These principles will be taken

into account when considering the investigation and Leadership determination of any allegations of breaches of the rules Holders of public office should promote and support these of conduct in Part V of the Code. principles by leadership and example.

Selflessness V. Rules of conduct Holders of public office should take decisions solely in 9. Members are expected to observe the following rules and terms of the public interest. They should not do so in order associated Resolutions of the House. to gain financial or other material benefits for themselves, their family, or their friends. 10. Members shall base their conduct on a consideration of the public interest, avoid conflict between personal interest Integrity and the public interest and resolve any conflict between Holders of public office should not place themselves under the two, at once, and in favour of the public interest. any financial or other obligation to outside individuals 11. No Member shall act as a paid advocate in any proceeding or organisations that might influence them in the of the House.2 performance of their official duties.

2 Resolutions of 6 November 1995 and 15 July 1947 as amended on 6 1 Cm 2850–I, p 14 November 1995 and 14 May 2002 18 19

12. The acceptance by a Member of a bribe to influence his or her conduct as a Member, including any fee, compensation or reward in connection with the promotion of, or opposition to, any Bill, Motion, or other matter submitted, or intended to be submitted to the House, or to any Committee of the House, is contrary to the law of Parliament.3 13. Members shall fulfil conscientiously the requirements of the House in respect of the registration of interests in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests. They shall always be open and frank in drawing attention to any relevant interest in any proceeding of the House or its Committees, and in any communications with Ministers, Members, public officials or public office holders.4 14. Information which Members receive in confidence in the course of their parliamentary duties should be used only in connection with those duties. Such information must never be used for the purpose of financial gain. 15. Members are personally responsible and accountable for ensuring that their use of any expenses, allowances, facilities and services provided from the public purse is in accordance with the rules laid down on these matters. Members shall ensure that their use of public resources is always in support of their parliamentary duties. It should not confer any undue personal or financial benefit on themselves or anyone else, or confer undue advantage on a political organisation. 16. Members shall never undertake any action which would cause significant damage to the reputation and integrity of the House of Commons as a whole, or of its Members generally.

3 Resolutions of 2 May 1695, 22 June 1858, and 15 July 1947 as amended on 6 November 1995 and 14 May 2002 4 Resolutions of the House of 22 May 1974 as amended on 9 February 2009; 12 June 1975 as amended on 19 July 1995 and 9 February 2009; 12 June 1975 as amended on 9 February 2009; 17 December 1985 as amended on 9 February 2009; 6 November 1995 as amended on 14 May 2002 and 9 February 2009; 13 July 1992; 30 April 2009 as amended on 7 February 2011 and 27 March 2008, as amended on 9 February 2009 20 21

VI. Upholding the code Safeguarding policy 17. The application of this Code shall be a matter for the (children and vulnerable adults) House of Commons, and particularly for the Committee In their role as parliamentarians, whether on the Serjeant at Arms on Standards and the Parliamentary Commissioner for saaenquiries@ Parliamentary Estate or away from it, Members should be parliament.co.uk Standards acting in accordance with Standing Orders Nos aware of their responsibility to safeguard and promote the 149 and 150 respectively. wellbeing of children and vulnerable adults wherever they 18. The Commissioner may investigate a specific matter relating are in a position to do so. All adults who work for Members to a Member’s adherence to the rules of conduct under of Parliament or on their behalf or who use facilities the Code. Members shall cooperate, at all stages, with any provided by them share this responsibility. such investigation by or under the authority of the House. No Member shall lobby a member of the Committee in a Statement on what Members can expect manner calculated or intended to influence its consideration of an alleged breach of this Code. from the House Service, and on what is expected in return 19. The Committee will consider any report from the Commissioner to it and report its conclusions and The House Service seeks to put the customer at the centre Customer Team of all we do. Our customers include you, your staff, your www.parliament. recommendations to the House. The House may impose a uk/feedback sanction on the Member where it considers it necessary. constituents, and other members of the public (tourists or visitors to Westminster, for example) and also our own staff. feedback@ parliament.uk Respect Policy We welcome feedback, so please read our policy and share x7777 your compliments, complaints and comments with us. Allegations of bullying or harassment of House staff by intranet. parliament.uk/ House staff are not civil servants, which is an important Members, or their staff, are dealt with under the Respect equality-diversity- Policy, which the House has endorsed. The aim is for respect constitutional distinction; they do not, for example, sign the Official Secrets Act. They are employees of the House, confidential and informal resolution wherever possible, with House of Commons mediation also being a possibility if all parties agree that it Committee on formally appointed by the House of Commons Commission. might be useful. Standards, First Report (Session 2014 They are required to serve the House, its committees and In escalated cases, the Parliamentary Commissioner -15), Respect Policy Members, and the public, with honesty and probity and so for Standards has power to investigate, and to report www.publications. uphold the reputation of the House. parliament.uk/pa/ inappropriate conduct to the Committee on Standards which cm201415/cmselect/ Members can expect: can, if necessary, report the matter to the House. cmstandards/321/32 102.htm Members can obtain guidance on the operation of the policy House services to be provided with complete political from their Whips or from the Members’ HR Advice Service. impartiality, and that briefing and advice are not influenced by the personal opinions of individual members of staff. House staff who advise Members are not allowed to take part in any political activities. Members must not ask House staff to help them with party political activities. 22 23

House staff to do what is asked of them as long as Examples of improper treatment include: any request is one which is proper and reasonable within the parameters set by the House of Commons Ridiculing or demeaning someone Commission, and that sufficient resources are available to meet it. House staff must refuse to comply with Threatening remarks or actions requests which conflict with House policy. Misuse of power or position To have any complaint about House staff investigated promptly and thoroughly and, if found to have basis, Unwelcome sexual advances. dealt with appropriately. Members should avoid publicly criticising individual members of House staff since members of staff are not able to House staff must: respond to such criticism publicly. Members of staff should never publicly criticise a Member. Ensure as far as practicable that every Member receives the same standard, range and quality of services. ICT Acceptable Use Policy for Members of the House of Commons and your staff Respect the confidentiality of their dealings with Members You should be aware of the following Acceptable Use Policy and must handle private information appropriately. (AUP) relating to the use of parliamentary ICT equipment. It Treat Members with courtesy and respect. They must covers computer and telecommunications equipment and behave in a way that promotes dignity and respect at services provided by the Parliamentary Digital Service (PDS) work at all times and under all circumstances. and covers your use of the Parliamentary Network, personal computers, laptops, mobile devices, wi-fi and internet connections, printers, fax machines, and telecommunications If a Member asks a member of House staff to do something of all types. which the member of staff cannot do, the member of staff will explain why he or she cannot do what is asked. Please note that you will be asked to sign this on behalf of If the request appears to be improper, the staff member is yourself and your staff, please ensure they have read it. expected to report the matter to his or her manager. What is unacceptable use? Members’ staff and House staff must treat each other You must not upload, download, use, retain, distribute, with courtesy. House staff will provide help and assistance create or access any electronic materials including emails, to Members’ staff (except where this is not permitted by documents, images, text or software which: particular rules).

House staff are likewise entitled to be treated with dignity, Might overload, damage, affect, or have the potential courtesy and respect. Members must not discriminate to affect, the performance of Parliament’s systems, against, victimise, harass or bully any member of staff. networks and/or external communications in any way Any complaint about improper treatment of a member of House staff by a Member will be dealt with under the May be a breach of copyright and/or licence provisions Respect Policy. 24 25

Might gain access to restricted or unauthorised areas wi-fi is available across the Estate. Members and their staff can of the Network, websites or other hacking activities also connect their personally owned devices to a dedicated wi-fi network. The guest networks are segregated from the Could be threatening, defamatory, abusive, indecent, Parliamentary Network and provide internet connectivity only. obscene, racist or illegal Personal devices are permitted to connect to some Might be considered spam by other users of the parliamentary services (e.g. email, calendar, contacts and Parliamentary Network, such as indiscriminate tasks subject to the relevant policies) but are not permitted to global emails connect directly to the Parliamentary Network.

Might put the reputation of Parliament at risk Personal software

Could be considered party political campaigning or Users are advised to consult with the Digital Service before fundraising and, in the case of Commons Members, downloading software from the internet or other sources private business activity. to parliamentary equipment. Software that conflicts with security systems or with the safe operation of parliamentary

equipment may result in access to the Parliamentary In addition, you must not read other users’ email or other Network being denied until the software is removed. material without their express permission, or store private material not connected to the purpose of Parliament on The Digital Service reserves the right to remove any the Network. personally added software or equipment that interferes with the normal working of parliamentary equipment or the What protection is available? Parliamentary Network. Parliament automatically blocks emails to @parliament. uk mailboxes containing malicious attachments and links. Data protection Parliament also blocks access to specific categories of websites Parliament is subject to the Data Protection Act (DPA). All that may cause a threat to the Parliamentary Network. These use of parliamentary computer facilities should adhere to the measures have been introduced to help adhere to the above principles of DPA and, in the case of Members, to your own policy and for the protection of you and other users of the DPA registration as data controllers. Network. The Digital Service provides antivirus software and firewalls, and other automated alerting systems, to protect Sponsored users parliamentary users from malicious attack. These systems are Members are responsible for ensuring that their staff and regularly updated and tested. contractors only have access to those computing and network services that are appropriate for the performance of The use of strong passwords, screen savers and timed their duties and must inform the Digital Service when their lockouts also offers protection against unauthorised access. access requirements need to be changed (for example, when Use of personal equipment staff move to other duties or leave the House). The direct connection to the Parliamentary Network of equipment not supplied by Parliament, such as PCs and laptops, is not permitted. If you wish to use your own equipment, guest 26 27

Access regulations 28 ACCESS TO THE ESTATE Information for Members with disabilities 29 28 29

Access to the Estate Passholder/visitor Entrance Disabled access access Access regulations Black Rod’s Garden (Vehicles) Authorised vehicles N/A only Access to the Parliamentary Estate is the responsibility of the Serjeant at Arms x0155 Black Rod’s Garden (Visitors) Passholders and visitors Yes Serjeant at Arms in the House of Commons and Black Rod in the saaenquiries@ House of Lords. 1 Canon Row Passholders only Via the Derby Gate parliament.uk pedestrian entrance Access is generally restricted to Members of both Houses, their Carriage Gates Passholders only Yes staff and employees of both Houses with parliamentary Cromwell Green visitor entrance Visitor entry Yes photo-identity passes. Curtis Green (Vehicle entrance only) Authorised vehicles No

only Public access is limited to specific areas, such as the Committee Derby Gate (Vehicle exit only) (Entrance for Authorised vehicles N/A Corridor for people attending committee meetings; in all other vehicles ONLY when Curtis Green is closed) only parts visitors must be escorted by a passholder. Derby Gate (Pedestrians) Passholders and visitors No When the House is sitting, only Members and staff of the House 1 Millbank Passholders and visitors Yes with business in nearby offices may use the areas around the (Millbank House) Chamber. You are responsible for your visitors whilst they are on 7 Millbank Passholders and visitors Via the Smith Square the Parliamentary Estate. Members are asked to note that no dogs, (Westminster House) side entrance other than working dogs, are allowed on the Parliamentary Estate. 1 Parliament Street Passholders and visitors Yes If you are planning to bring groups of visitors on to the Estate, Portcullis House Passholders and visitors Yes please let the Serjeant at Arms offfice know, as they can assist St Stephen’s Passholders only No you with the visit. Subway – Westminster tube station Passholders only Yes Car parking 14 Tothill Street Passholders and visitors Yes (via the main entrance only) The main car park is located beneath New Palace Yard. Enquiries x3040 You must register your vehicle with the Pass Office to obtain a Car park permits car park pass. For access to the car park, both a car park pass x2970 Information for Members with disabilities and a parliamentary photo-identity pass are required. The car Congestion Accessibility park pass must be displayed in the associated vehicle at all times charging whilst parked on the Parliamentary Estate. www.cclondon. Car parking com Once you have been issued with your photo-identity pass Please note that Westminster is in the London congestion charge area. by the Pass Office, car parking is available for you within the Entry points Parliamentary Estate – primarily in the underground car park. Spaces can be made available in Star Chamber Court for This is a list of all of the entry points to the Parliamentary Estate. intranet. Members with accessibility requirements. Opening times can depend on the sittings of the House and parliament.uk/ access-buildings/ events. For the most up-to-date opening hours please see the access/entry- Around the Parliamentary Estate parliamentary intranet page . points Step-free routes and accessible lavatories and lifts in the 30 31

Palace of Westminster and Portcullis House are marked on Broadcasting Unit Members’ staff x5511 x1713 or diversity@ the maps at the back of this handbook. [email protected] If a member of your staff has a disability, you should contact the Members’ HR Advice Service so that an occupational parliament.uk There are induction loop systems in the committee rooms, health assessment can be arranged for your employee and a main dining rooms and at reception desks. If you need to report obtained on any recommended reasonable workplace use these facilities you should contact the Broadcasting adjustments. It can assist you with implementing any Unit/Bowtie TV who will set up a short test for you in the reasonable adjustments. Chamber and committee rooms. You should also register them with IPSA, which will assist intranet. Accommodation and facilities you with any relevant disability allowances and funding for parliament.uk/ disabled-access If you have particular accommodation requirements, you reasonable adjustments. should contact the Accommodation Manager on x1319, x4190 or x3080 for advice and assistance. You may also ICT wish to discuss your requirements with your party Whips. PDS will provide users of the Parliamentary Network who Digital Service have disabilities with equipment and training based on the Support Desk x2001 Health and wellbeing recommendations of the Health and Wellbeing Service. A The Health and Wellbeing Service provides confidential Practice Manager PDS representative will liaise directly with you, the Health Health and support and guidance to all Members of Parliament. If x1484 Wellbeing Service and Wellbeing Service and suppliers of ICT products where x4782 you have a disability they will help identify workplace necessary to ensure you have all the equipment you need. shwsadmin@ adjustments and work with IPSA on your behalf. parliament.uk Tours Personal emergency evacuation plans Improving accessibility and facilities for Members, staff and Annual online fire safety awareness training is provided Fire Risk Management Team the public is one of the House Service’s priorities. for everyone working on the Parliamentary Estate and is x4714/2452 All tours are wheelchair accessible. Facilities are also mandatory for Members’ staff and House staff. intranetparliament. available for visually impaired and deaf or hard-of-hearing uk/fire Refuge points and emergency evacuation lifts are available visitors. Leaflets giving access information to disabled visitors, across the Estate. If you or your staff feel that your Members of both Houses and passholders are available. circumstances, either permanent or temporary, would cause Further support you difficulties leaving the Estate in an emergency, then you The Diversity and Inclusion Team offers a range of services should have a personal emergency evacuation plan. The Fire including disability-specific training provision, useful Risk Management Team will be pleased to discuss this with you. contacts, and advice on issues such as dyslexia assessments Disability assistance through the expenses scheme and managing staff with disabilities. IPSA is responsible for the payment of expenses for www.theipsa.org.uk The Parliamentary Health and Wellbeing Service can advise Members, including costs for disability assistance not already on accessibility issues. provided by the House of Commons. Guidance on claiming for disability assistance is available in the Scheme of MPs’ Business Costs and Expenses on IPSA’s website. 32 33

Passes 34 Security clearance for Members’ staff 35 SECURITY Cyber security 35 Personal safety 38 Security 38 Emergencies 40 34 35

Security Security clearance for Members’ staff The Pass Office carries out security pre-employment checks Security on the Parliamentary Estate is managed by the Parliamentary Security on all Members’ staff from both Houses. This standardises Parliamentary Security Department in association with the Department the checking procedures for everyone with access to the Metropolitan Police Service. Security staff are available x2244 Parliamentary Estate and its Network. The standard is around the clock to assist Members of both Houses, their intranet.parliament. designed to address problems of identity fraud, illegal staff and employees of both Houses with security matters. uk/security/ working and deception, thus helping to protect the House’s assets and reputation. In an emergency on the Estate call x3333.

Passes Cyber security You have a responsibility to help maintain your, and your You are issued with a parliamentary photo-identity pass to Obtain a pass/report a colleagues’ security, and protect Parliament from cyber allow you to access and move around the Parliamentary pass lost or stolen threats. There is an ongoing programme of work to improve Estate. Passes are issued by the Pass Office. Pass Office x5920 or Parliament’s cyber security, but no matter how many It is the Policy of the House that ALL passholders are Report misuse of your technical systems are put in place, good awareness and required to wear their photo-identity passes at all pass x3333 practice are an essential part of keeping you, and those times while on the Estate. If you, or any member of your intranet.parliament. around you, safe. staff, are not wearing your pass, expect to be challenged uk/passes You, not Parliament, are responsible for the security of any by security officers or the police. Passes are also required to non-parliamentary equipment that you use, of software open many doors around the Estate and to gain pedestrian and web services that the Digital Service does not support, access to the House. and of networks and internet connections away from the You should challenge a person without a pass or report the Parliamentary Estate. incident to a member of security staff. If you forget your pass, you will need to go to one of the Pass Offices and collect a day pass. Please inform security immediately if you know or suspect a pass is being misused. You may sponsor an application by your spouse or partner for a photo-identity pass. For an application form visit one of the Pass Offices. If a pass is lost or stolen, please report the matter to the Pass Office immediately.

Pass Office opening times Monday – Thursday 8:00am – 6:00pm* Friday 8:00am – 4:00pm *4:00pm during recess 36 37

Social networking national insurance number, or password. They will often While social and networking media such as Facebook, tell you to click a link that takes you to a site where your Twitter, Snapchat, What’sApp and LinkedIn obviously have personal information is requested. huge benefits, their use can also bring risks such as identity Spear phishing theft and harassment. Posting some information could put your personal safety at risk. For example, your address, These are targeted attacks which may include personal phone number, details of your schedules and plans, and information about you. They appear to come from a known information about your family, could be used to target you source and therefore seem genuine. Be wary of all emails for attacks. asking for personal information. Only fraudulent emails will ask for bank or credit card details of any kind. Consider adopting the following approach and requesting that Parliamentary Support anyone who manages an account on your behalf does the same: Desk 020 7219 2001 Good IT practice Be especially careful with electronic versions of constituents’ intranet.parliament. Be careful about the personal information you disclose, ukinformation personal data and casework material. Try to make sure management/data- either in your profile or the information you share that you protect them by using devices, or systems, protection-security/ through posts and tweets. which support data encryption. Further guidance on your data-protection/ responsibilities for the personal data you handle can be Remember that what goes online stays online. Even if found on the intranet. it is later deleted, a copy or cached version is almost certain to remain. Never plug anything untrusted, such as an unknown USB stick, into your device: this is a common path for malicious Make the most of in-built privacy features on social software. Install anti-virus software on all non-parliamentary networking sites and, where practicable, think carefully devices and keep it updated. with whom you connect. Lock your device when leaving it unattended. Avoid using publicly accessible devices or public wi-fi Be aware that some public wi-fi networks are entirely unsecure. for accessing social networking sites – this will reduce Where possible connect via mobile data 3G/4G. Make sure all the risk of your account being hacked.You can use sensitive information is deleted properly before disposing of 3G/4G instead. devices. Review your own digital footprint regularly. Be wary of clicking on links in posts or tweets. They Support could take you to hoax websites which may be infected with malicious software. If you, or your staff, receive a suspicious email, such as a phishing email, report it to the Digital Service. If you, or your staff, receive a threatening email report it to the police. Phishing A fraudulent attempt, made through email, to steal your Monitoring your digital footprint personal information. Phishing emails often appear to come Each time you use the internet, or other people post from a well-known organisation and ask for your personal information about you, a data trail is created, known as your information, such as credit card or bank account details, “digital footprint”. 38 39

This could include personal information to which others, If you receive a malicious or threatening communication [email protected]. including those with malicious intent, may then be able to and consider that the matter requires urgent attention, you police.uk 0207 219 4955 gain access. should contact either your local police or the Parliamentary IPSA Liaison and Investigation Team (PLAIT) immediately. You can use online search engines to find out what 020 7811 6400 www.theipsa. information is available about you, your family and your Be aware that security is everyone’s responsibility. org.uk work. You can also set up a Google Alert that emails you Everyone should: whenever new information about you is picked up by the Google indexing system. If you choose this service, it is Be vigilant and report any concerns you have to a advisable to set up a dedicated email address to separate this member of security staff. from your other online accounts. Wear your photo-identity pass at all times on the Links to further advice on tracking your digital footprint are intranet. Parliamentary Estate and take it off when you leave. available on the Parliamentary intranet. parliament.uk/ security Be aware that you are responsible for the behaviour of Members and their staff are encouraged to complete a short Digital Support Desk online cyber security training course. Further practical advice x2001 your visitors and for ensuring that they are escorted by and guidance is available on the intranet, along with relevant Digital Service Cyber a passholder in non-public areas. Security Team policy documents. Please also refer to the ICT Acceptable x4455/6433 Ensure that desks, filing cabinets and cupboards are Use Policy on p14. This will be updated from time to time. kept locked when not in use and that keys are not left The latest version is on the intranet and you will be emailed in easily accessible places. if changes are made. Lock away all private and confidential papers, articles Personal safety of value, and memory sticks, CDs and other data storage devices. The Members’ Security Support Service can assist in providing personal, physical and online security advice Follow cyber security advice. to Members. This may include liaison with the police in response to specific incidents and crimes. Take care if posting personal details online and on social media as it may compromise your safety or that of others. Security Vigilance is key. Always be aware of any change in your environment when away from the Parliamentary Estate and, if it looks suspicious, report it to your local police. Take precautions when online, especially for social networking purposes. Posting information without the proper security precautions can put your personal safety at risk. Guidance on reducing the risks of social media is available on the intranet, or via the Personal Security Adviser. 40 41

Emergencies Chemical or biological agents Information on any incident or changes to access may be The police will take control of any incident involving possible communicated to you and your staff in a number of ways, chemical or biological agents and their instructions should including via email, the annunciator and/or the voice alarm be complied with immediately. Anyone potentially in system. contact with such agents should avoid contact with others until the nature of the agent has been established. The Security incidents emergency services have developed and tested plans for If there is a security emergency you should comply with decontamination. any instructions given by police or security officers and be prepared to show your pass if challenged. Firearms incidents In the event of an incident involving firearms or other Armed attacks weapons, trained armed officers are posted in various In the event of an armed attack on the Estate you should: strategic locations and will follow agreed plans to protect you, your staff and the public.

RUN Emergency information Escape if you can – telephone numbers and website HIDE An emergency information telephone number and website If you can’t run, HIDE are available for advice in times of an emergency. When you collect your photo-identity pass, the Pass Office will give you TELL an emergency card stating the emergency telephone number Call 999 and website, as well as the username and password. Please Security-related incidents keep this card with you at all times. Further copies of the card can be obtained from the Pass Office. Suspect mail External mail delivered to the Parliamentary Estate is screened In an emergency or major incident, information will be for harmful contents but mail directed to your home, communicated by whatever means are available and constituency or elsewhere, or accepted personally by you, is most effective, including global emails, the intranet, the not screened and may therefore present more of a risk. annunciator and the voice alarm system. If the usual lines of communication or access to the Parliamentary Estate If you suspect a letter or a parcel, do not handle it further – On the Parliamentary are affected by an emergency, you can call the emergency Estate call x3333, isolate the area and call security, or the police. information telephone number or log on to the emergency Elsewhere call 999 website to receive advice. Bomb threats intranet.parliament. uk/security/physical- In the event of a bomb threat, the police will seek to isolate security/ the danger area and ensure the safety of everyone. Security staff will direct people to identified internal or external safe areas. If you receive a bomb threat report the details immediately. 42 43

Health and safety at Parliament 44 Accidents, injuries or medical emergencies 45 Parliamentary buildings HEALTH AND SAFETY and Estate operations 46 Equipment provided by the House Service 46 Event safety 46 Visitor safety 46 Safety advice 46 Health and safety away from Parliament 46 Asbestos 47 Fire safety and emergency evacuation 47 44 45

Health and safety Accidents, injuries or medical emergencies In the event of a serious accident or injury, you or your staff Good health and safety is integral to the effective and should call x3333 to arrange assessment by a first aider, and efficient operation of Parliament. the calling of an ambulance if necessary. Trained first aiders are present in all parliamentary buildings. Parliament’s policy is to take practical steps to prevent Injuries and other safety incidents, such as near misses, Online reporting injuries and ill-health, not to create a risk-averse or risk-free system environment. However, this can be achieved only with the must be reported as soon as possible via Parliament’s online intranet.parliament. active support, involvement and co-operation of everyone on reporting system. uk/accident- reporting the Parliamentary Estate. Contact details for local first aiders are held by the reception intranet.parliament. The following sections contain vital information about intranet. desk for each building. There is also a full list on the intranet. uk/first-aid parliament. health and safety requirements on the Estate and your uk/safety-at- responsibilities when working away from it. parliament

Health and safety at Parliament As an elected Member and employer, you are ultimately responsible for health and safety matters associated with your staff and your work. Whilst at Parliament this includes contributing towards a safe and healthy working environment for everyone on the Estate by:

Following all relevant physical and administrative health and safety measures.

Ensuring your decisions and actions do not jeopardise your own or anybody else’s health and safety.

Reporting any concerns you or your staff have about the safety of the physical Estate, its operations or any equipment provided by the House for your use.

Promptly reporting any injuries and safety-related incidents that involve you or your staff whilst on the Estate.

Taking appropriate steps to manage the health and safety of your staff who work at Parliament. General information and guidance is available on the Safety at Parliament and the Health and Wellbeing pages of the intranet. 46 47

Parliamentary buildings and Estate manage your health and safety risks and comply with your legal operations obligations in the same way as a small business does. Safety concerns about the buildings, building services or any The Health and Safety Executive’s website provides a range Estate operations should be reported to the Parliamentary of excellent free guidance to help you do this, including: Maintenance Services Team 24/7 Maintenance Help Desk. A ‘health and safety made simple’ toolkit

Equipment provided by the House Service An office risk assessment tool Safety concerns about computer equipment provided by the PDS should be reported to the Digital Support Desk. Sample risk assessments.

Safety concerns about any other equipment provided Maintenance Help Health and Safety Desk x4747 The Institution of Occupational Safety and Health has also for your use on the Estate should be reported to the produced a specific guide for Members of Parliament. Executive www.hse. Digital Support Desk gov.uk Maintenance Help Desk. Although published in 2005, it contains some useful practical x2001 Institution of advice. It is free to download from the Institution’s website. Occupational Safety and Health guide Event safety www.iosh.co.uk If you sponsor or organise an event on the Estate, you Asbestos have responsibility for ensuring that it is planned, set up All parts of the Parliamentary Estate that contain asbestos Parliamentary and run safely. are managed in accordance with the Parliamentary Asbestos Maintenance Services Team Helpdesk Management Plan. The presence of asbestos within a x4747 Visitor safety building does not mean the occupants are at risk. Asbestos becomes a problem only when it is disturbed or damaged You are responsible for the health and safety of your visitors in a way that allows fibres to get into the air. Details of at all times whilst they are on the Estate. The general safety investigations are recorded in the Asbestos Register, which requirements, along with the regulations about bringing is held by the Parliamentary Maintenance Services Team visitors to Parliament, are available on the intranet. (PMST). This register is available for inspection.

Safety advice Fire safety and emergency evacuation General advice for Members and their staff is available on www.hse.gov.uk Fire safety and emergency evacuation the Safety at Parliament pages on the intranet and on the On hearing the fire alarm you should immediately leave Health and Safety Executive’s website. the building by the nearest available exit. Instructions are posted on the fire information notices adjacent Health and safety away from Parliament to all manual fire alarm call points on the Estate. Special evacuation arrangements are in place for the As an employer, you are ultimately responsible for all health and Chamber. Parliament operates a dispersal type evacuation safety matters associated with your constituency office, your from all of its buildings: staff and your work as a Member. This means that you have to 48 49

You should leave the immediate area of the building and disperse.

Do not return to the building until it’s safe to do so.

Information can be found in three ways:

Annunciator screens

Ask any Security Officer

Phone the Emergency Phone line on 0800 917 8919.

To assist you in evacuating any premises on the Parliamentary Fire Safety Manager Estate in the event of a fire, Fire Safety Awareness Training x8451 is mandatory to all Members and Members’ staff on the Deputy Fire Safety parliamentary intranet. Manager (Prevention) x4714 If you are working at an hour when you would not usually Assistant Fire Safety be expected to be in your office, for your own safety, please Manager (Protection) x3912 inform security staff of your presence. 50 51

Office accomodation - permanent accomodation 52

ACCOMODATION 52 53

Accommodation Environment Parliament is trying to reduce its environmental impact. Environment Manager You, and your staff, are requested to be considerate of the x6301 Office accommodation – permanent environment when conducting your business. Please refer to accommodation the environment pages on the intranet for information on environment@ Parliament’s environmental performance and targets, as well parliament.uk Westminster office as current environmental initiatives. Information can also be intranet. Members’ The party Whips are responsible for allocating offices to found on using greener travel to work, energy saving tips and parliament.uk/ Accommodation environment Members. They may need to agree other moves to make a Manager the recycling facilities available on the Parliamentary Estate. room available. Once this has been done, we aim to have x3080 Parliamentary you up and running in your new office within one week. The Maintenance Services accommodation Team Help Desk Accommodation Office will contact you to plan the details of services@ (waste removal your office (layout, furniture and telephone arrangements). parliament.uk requests) x4747 For any requests, or problems with your office or furniture, contact your local Service Delivery Coordinator (at the reception desk in your building) or, alternatively, the Members’ Accommodation Manager. If you experience technical problem, for example with Parliamentary Maintenance Services plumbing, ventilation or heating, you should report them to Team Help Desk the Maintenance Help Desk. x4747 PLEASE NOTE: Use of office space as sleeping accommodation is not allowed. The Estate, with the exception of designated residential properties such as the Speaker’s House, is classified and certified as office accommodation and the life safety fire precautions in place meet the associated office-based standards.

Cleaning Your office is cleaned by In-House Services. Cleaning issues Head of Service concerning your office should be made to the Service Delivery x2393 Delivery Co-ordinator responsible for the area. Issues Parliamentary Maintenance Services concerning the cleaning of other areas should be referred to Team Help Desk the Maintenance Help Desk. x4747 54 55

ICT 56 Other services 60

SERVICES AND EQUIPMENT 56 57

Services and equipment computers, printers and accessories. You can use your IT loan allowance and/or credit card, including personal ICT and IPSA-issued cards, for which you may be entitled to reimbursement under the expenses scheme. Computer advice and support Equipment ordered using your IT allowance is for use during The Parliamentary Digital Service (PDS) provides technology Digital Support Desk your time at Parliament and must be returned when you and intranet services to Members and their staff. It is x2001 cease to be a Member. Equipment purchased with your also responsible for the delivery and management of personal or IPSA-issued credit card remains your property parliamentary digital platforms, including the website, the even when you cease to be a Member. intranet and social media channels. Computer equipment can be ordered for use outside the Digital Support Online is the first point of contact for all Parliamentary Estate and will be delivered and installed for your technology support needs. This online service is you at the address specified on the order form. In addition, designed to make it quick and easy for you to contact us. you are entitled to subscribe to three broadband services To access it, click on the icon on your parliamentary supplied that allow access to the internet. computer desktop. When you purchase equipment outside of your loan Digital Support Online enables you to: allowance you are strongly advised to purchase from the Digital Service rather than using a 3rd party supplier. Log a request/report an issue Parliamentary equipment is kept up to date, protected as far as possible against cyber-attack. PDS will help you to Check the progress of your calls continue working if you have any equipment problems, View the live status of services and data will be regularly backed up if you store it on parliamentary systems. Search Knowledge Articles for help and advice. You are offered a Parliamentary Network account, which will give you access to: Digital Support Desk is the second point of contact and the team is available to help you make the best use of the An email account computer and telephone services provided, and assist you with any problems. The internet and parliamentary intranet

It is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week (except on Secure personal storage space (OneDrive) Christmas Day and Boxing Day), or you can call into the Digital Drop-In, at the top of the escalators in Portcullis House. Secure shared constituency storage space (SharePoint).

Westminster computer equipment Computer Equipment Catalogue Orders should be placed via the online computer equipment lifecycle.scc.com/welcome/ catalogue, which offers a range of PCs, laptops, tablet customer/pds.aspx 58 59

You will also receive Microsoft Office software, including Computer training Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook. Once you have your One-to-one training by PDS is available for you and your staff, username, password and remote access code, you will be both in Westminster and in your constituency office. This able to access your information from anywhere, using any training will help you familiarise yourself with the equipment, internet-enabled device. provide essential cyber security information, and demonstrate how to use Microsoft Office products (including Outlook email Constituency office computer equipment and calendar facilities), the intranet and the internet. Centrally provided computer equipment acquired from the computer equipment catalogue may be installed in a IPSA also provides brief introductory sessions on the online constituency or home office. The PCs and laptops supplied expenses system. by Parliament come pre-configured and allow full and Parliamentary apps secure access to the Parliamentary Network over a broadband connection. A number of apps produced by Parliament are available. Search for them on the Apple App Store or the Google Other remote access services are available to you — further Digital Support Desk Play Store. details are available on the Computers and Equipment pages x2001 on the intranet, or by contacting the Digital Support Desk. Library enquiry point HousePapers x3666 The HousePapers app contains papers relating to The Library also offers a range of services for your staff hclibrary@ parliament.uk parliamentary business in the House of Commons and House based in constituencies. For details contact the Library of Lords on a month by month basis. enquiry point. Commons Order Papers Broadband Read the latest version of the House of Commons Your laptop and iPad come supplied with a pre-enabled 4G Order Paper. SIM card for broadband on the go — they will automatically connect to wi-fi when on the Parliamentary Estate. CommonsVotes Parliament will meet the standing charges for data used Shows how MPs have voted in divisions in the House of in the United Kingdom, but you will be invoiced for costs Commons. Data is provided approximately 20 minutes after incurred while overseas. the result is announced in the Chamber.

You are entitled to three broadband services that allow My Constituency access to the internet and the Parliamentary Network from My Constituency app displays key statistics for each constituency and home locations. constituency area. Guest wireless access is also available and allows access to Telephones, voicemail and messaging services the internet using non-parliamentary supplied equipment. Up to four telephone lines will be installed in Westminster for you and your staff. Digital handsets will be provided on up to two of the lines and the other lines may be used for fax machines or analogue handsets. 60 61

The telephone number you are allocated will remain yours Information on opening hours and the services provided is until you leave Parliament, so you can publicise it as your available on the intranet. contact number. The parliamentary telephone directory is Contact the Postmaster and his staff in the main post office in available on the intranet. Members’ Lobby to discuss how your mail should be managed. You can set up voicemail on your parliamentary extension intranet.parliament. numbers in Westminster; instructions are available on the uk/computers- Stationery equipment intranet. Short telephone messages can be taken for you by You and your staff may order stationery for your Banner Stationery Help Desk the switchboard. Information on other telecommunications parliamentary or constituency offices from the online Banner 0845 226 7791 services, such as conference calls and directory enquiries, are stationery catalogue, which is available on the intranet. Rules on the use of available on the intranet. bespoke stationery House of Commons stationery is provided at public expense and pre-paid Mobile phones, pagers and smartphones and must not be used for purposes that are not properly envelopes a charge on public funds. Should a complaint be made x2873 The use of handheld devices to keep up to date with emails regarding a Member’s use of bespoke stationery, it would intranet.parliament. is permitted in the Chamber and committees, provided that be for the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards to uk/commons- it causes no disturbance. All mobile phones, smartphones stationery investigate and make a ruling. Guidance is available on and tablets should be switched to silent mode in the the intranet. Chamber and committees. Similarly, they should not be used to make or receive calls in the Library or catering outlets. A cash-limited provision of House stationery and postage- paid envelopes is provided by the House for Members’ parliamentary functions. The present annual limit is £9,000 Other services per financial year per Member. This provision is in addition Letter Board to any stationery and postage costs that Members may have reimbursed under the Business Costs and Expenses Scheme The Letter Board in Members’ Lobby allows you to receive Principal Doorkeeper set by IPSA. urgent communications from other Members and from x4771 your staff when you are near the Chamber. Your staff may hand in up to six letters intended for the Letter Board each sitting day. Further details on the use of the Letter Board are available from the Principal Doorkeeper.

Post offices A full range of post office counter services is available at the Postal services three post office counters on site in: x4637 intranet. parliament.uk/ Central Lobby post-office

Members’ Lobby

Portcullis House 62 63

Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) 64 Your salary and expenses 64 Pensions 64 Personal catering and retail accounts 65 Travel 65 Insurances 66 Death of a Member 67 FINANCE 64 65

Finance Personal catering and retail accounts Members can set up a catering and retail account and Accounts Receivable Team Independent Parliamentary Standards charge their purchases at parliamentary catering and retail hocaccounts Authority (IPSA) outlets to it. The balance is deducted automatically at receivable@ a set date each month. parliament.uk Most financial matters are dealt with by IPSA, which offers Independent Parliamentary x6308 one-to-one training for you and your staff at your request. Standards Authority All new and returning Members wishing to access this facility, Please visit the IPSA website or contact IPSA directly for (IPSA) must fill in the application Form. further details. 020 7811 6400 Travel Your salary and expenses Travel and subsistence claims, incurred in the performance of Travel Office IPSA deals with paying your salary and that of your staff, and your parliamentary functions, may be made for the costs x4232 regulating and paying your costs and expenses. of travel and travel-related subsistence expenditure. parliamentary traveloffice@ parliament.uk Expenses are claimed using IPSA’s online system and covers info@theipsa. Parliamentary Travel Office accommodation, office costs expenditure, travel and staffing. org.uk The arrangements for journeys and overnight stays can be The Scheme of MPs’ Business Costs and Expenses, plus www.theipsa. org.uk made by the Travel Office, which provides business and accompanying guidance to assist you in understanding how personal travel services to Members of both Houses. The the rules should be applied, is available on the IPSA website. office is operated by an external travel company, CTM IPSA will help you as you begin to use it and can set up Travel Management. In many cases the office will be able training sessions for you and your staff. to offer specially negotiated discounts on fares, particularly on air travel, and on the costs of hotels, including a number Pensions convenient for Westminster. You are automatically enrolled into the Members’ pension Pensions Secretariat CTM provides a comprehensive range of services, including: scheme the day after your election. The pension scheme x2106 is part of the Parliamentary Contributory Pension Fund pensionsmp@ Air travel; domestic and international rail ticketing; parliament.uk (PCPF), which is governed by a Board of Trustees. For further hotel booking, both in the UK and abroad; currency information, please refer to the PCPF website or contact the www. mypcpfpension. exchange; and passport and visa services. Secretariat, based in Corporate Services, by phone or email. co.uk Bookings can be made using an online booking tool, Lightning. Training will be given on how to use this in conjunction with claiming your parliamentary expenses. CTM staff can be contacted in person, via telephone or email. Staff will help you create a traveller profile (including the setting up of a proxy to book travel on your behalf), assist you in assessing your travel patterns, and identify the most convenient and cost-effective way of travelling. 66 67

The House Service pays carbon offsets for parliamentary Please check the level and nature of cover from Corporate travel booked through the Travel Office. Whilst you may Services before making any independent arrangements. A book your travel in other ways, only bookings through the guide is also available on the intranet. Travel Office benefit from the available discounts and Most Members (depending on age) are also covered carbon offsets. for a death-in-service payment from the Parliamentary The Travel Office is located on the lower ground floor in the Contributory Pension Fund (PCPF). Further details are Palace of Westminster, approached by Star Chamber Court. available from the Pensions Secretariat in Corporate Services The office is sign-posted, with access down the stairs from or the PCPF website (see the Pensions section above for the Court. The office can also be accessed via Members’ contact details). Lobby.

Travel Office opening times Death of a Member Monday – Friday 9:30am – 6:00pm If a Member dies, the House Service appoints a Contact Death in service Officer to help his or her family and staff in their dealings intranet. These times relate to both sitting days and recess periods. parliament.uk/ with House matters. Further information is available on death-in-service the intranet. Insurances The following insurance policies are arranged and funded by Members’ Hub, Corporate Service the House Service so that you are covered whilst undertaking x5732 your parliamentary functions: intranet. parliament.uk/ Travel* and personal accident insurances

Employer and public liability

Professional indemnity

Employment practice liability.

*Overseas travel only 68 69

Members’ HR Advice Service 70 Employee Assistance Programme 71 Security clearance for Members’ staff 71 Pensions 71 Legislation 71 Staff training 72 Constituency events 73 Death of a member of staff 73 EMPLOYMENT OF STAFF 70 71

Employment of staff Information about the latest developments on employment law relevant to Members and their staff.

Members of Parliament are individual employers who staff Members’ HR Advice Development of employment policy and procedures their offices much as any small business does. Under the Service x2080 for Members. standards and rules, and within your budget ceiling, this membershr@ gives you the ability to set up your office or offices in the parliament.uk An A-Z index of HR terms is available on the intranet. way that works best for you — there is no single model. intranet. However, as with any small businesses, there are good, and parliament.uk/ sometimes not so good, ways of organising and managing members-hr-advice- Employee Assistance Programme service your office and the people you take on. An Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) is provided on Employee Assistance Before recruiting a member of staff to undertake IPSA behalf of the House by Health Assured. The service allows Programme parliamentary work, you should read IPSA’s rules. IPSA 020 7811 6400 your employees to seek and receive confidential advice on (Health Assured): 0800 030 5182 provides model contracts and job descriptions, sets salary info@theipsa. work-related and personal issues. org.uk scales and provides you with a budget to pay your staff. IPSA also runs the payroll service for you and your staff. Security clearance for Members’ staff The Pass Office carries out security pre-employment checks Members’ HR Advice Service on staff of Members from both Houses. The Members’ HR Advice Service is a dedicated service for All staff must be vetted prior to working on the Estate or Members and advises on all employment and HR-related receiving their Parliamentary Network account. issues. In doing so, the service aims to promote good employment practice in providing sound and up-to-date advice and information on employment and HR issues. Pensions The service is available by telephone or email, or will Members’ staff are contractually enrolled by IPSA in the MPs’ meet with you on the Parliamentary Estate. The services Staff Pension Scheme. This scheme meets the requirements provided include: of the Government’s automatic enrolment legislation.

Formal guidance on key areas, such as contracts of Legislation employment, recruitment, restructures, redundancy, The Equality Act 2010 and the Regulatory Reform (Fire Fire Safety maternity and paternity rights, working time Order 2005 regulations, performance management, sickness Safety) Order 2005 have implications for Members as x4714 absence and other employment matters. employers. Advice on these issues can be requested from x2452 the fire safety team. x3912 Ad hoc confidential advice on HR issues, and guidance on aspects of employment law and best practice, including template letters. 72 73

Staff training Constituency events Induction events, informed by and sometimes presented The House of Commons Service regularly holds regional constituency by Members, are available soon after a general election. open days for constituency staff throughout the United staffopenday@ parliament.uk Between general elections, the Learning and Development Kingdom. Team offers training, which currently includes knowledge and skills-based classroom and online courses, in Westminster and in many city centres. These include a range Death of a member of staff of subjects, such as: The Members’ HR Advice Service can provide you with Members’ HR information regarding your responsibilities following the Advice Service Navigating parliamentary procedure and legislation death of an employee. x2080 membershr@ The law on benefits, information and immigration parliament.uk

Personal development, such as communication or meeting skills

Practical training on office or staff management.

Fire safety training is mandatory for House staff and Members’ staff.

The Act learning system allows you and your staff to check ACT which courses are available and to book on to them. Access parliament. learningpool. is automatic for all those logged on to a parliamentary com machine and on the Parliamentary Network at Westminster, or via VPN or Citrix for those in constituencies.

Courses are free of charge to staff who are paid from Learning and staffing expenses. You, or your staff member’s line manager, Development x5144 will need to approve their courses. 74 75

Procedural Hub 76 Memebers’ professional development (MPD) 79 Hansard reporting 79 Select committees 81

CHAMBER SERVICES 76 77

Chamber services

The staff of the Chamber and Committees Team support every aspect of the business of the House and its committees, such as advising on Parliamentary Questions and the legislative process, and providing the staff of select committees. They will advise you in strict confidence not only about the rules and practices of the House, but how you can achieve your objectives within the rules. House of Commons officials are not civil servants; they are employed by the House, not the Government. They adhere to strict political impartiality. They will not always provide information without being asked, since in some circumstances this could amount to taking sides. The authoritative guide to procedure is Erskine May’s Treatise intranet. on the Law, Privileges, Proceedings and Usage of Parliament, parliament.uk/ erskine-may usually known as Erskine May

Procedural Hub The Procedural Hub is a one-stop shop where Members and x7333 their staff can receive expert advice on all parliamentary proceduralhub@ procedures, table and submit parliamentary business, and parliament.uk find out about Members’ Professional Development (MPD). intranet.parliament. uk/business-news/ The Procedural Hub can be found in Portcullis House. parliamentary- business/ procedural-hub 78 79

Area of work Responsible office Location Phone Members’ professional development (MPD)

Adjournment and Table Office Off the corridor behind the x3302/ The House of Commons offers a range of support for 020 7219 6599 Westminster Hall Speaker’s Chair 3303/7333 Members’ professional development (MPD) from face to face intranet.parliament. debates briefings to e-learning. The Procedural Hub is the first port of uk/members- Backbench business Table Office Off the corridor behind the x3302/ call for support on parliamentary skills. professional- debates Speaker’s Chair 3303/7333 development Bills Public and Private Third floor, above the x6758 Other support is provided under the following themes: Bill Office Chamber (Public Bills) x6008 Office essentials (Private Bills) Developing expertise x7333 Documents (provision Vote Office Members’ Lobby, PCH and x3631 Representation and engagement of) for Members elsewhere on the Estate and their staff for Personal impact. parliamentary duties Early Day Motions Table Office Off the corridor behind the x3302/ We aim to provide support on demand and are happy to (EDMs) Speaker’s Chair 3303/7333 help individuals, small groups or parties. European scrutiny European Scrutiny 14 Tothill Street x5467/3292 Committee office Petitions Journal Office Third floor, above the x3310/7333 Hansard reporting Chamber Hansard (the Official Report) is the full and accurate report Hansard Procedural advice Table Office Off the corridor behind the x3302/ of proceedings in the Chamber, Westminster Hall and x4786 Speaker’s Chair 3303/7333 general committees of the House, and an important archival Correct an error: Questions Table Office Off the corridor behind the x3302/ speeches or debates resource. Hansard is “substantially” the verbatim report of in the Chamber (Oral or Written) Speaker’s Chair 3303/7333 proceedings which means that, while nothing is left out x2865 or Relations with other Overseas Office At the end of Committee x5752/ that adds to the meaning of a Member’s speech, x5258 in Westminster Hall x5522 Parliaments Corridor, and 14 Tothill 4494 repetitions and redundancies may be omitted, as are Street mistakes that would be obvious to someone listening to In Public Bill and other General Committees Requests to speak Speaker’s Office End of the Library Corridor, x5300 the debate. in debate Principal Floor x5762 or x5291 Select committees Committee Office On the corridor behind the x5675/ To help Hansard fulfil this role it is important that you pass Speaker’s Chair, and 14 1366 any speaking notes to Hansard staff when requested. Please Tothill Street open all Hansard envelopes addressed to you as they may Statutory instruments Journal Office Third floor, above the x3361/ contain separate queries, the answers to which will help Chamber 7333 Hansard to report your speech more accurately. Urgent Question and Speaker’s Office End of the Library Corridor, x5300 emergency debate Principal Floor Hansard staff will inform you by note when speeches will be applications ready for checking. Before they are sent for printing, speeches The Journal Office, Public and Private Bill Office and Table Office are open each may be read in the Assistant Editors’ room, Lower Press Gallery, sitting day until the rise of the House. 80 81

mezzanine floor, or they can be emailed to you for checking Select committees (there is a shorter time window in which to check emailed Each select committee has its own staff, mostly located Committee Office speeches than if you go to the office in person). You should within the Committee Office. Almost all select committees x5675 check speeches and suggest alterations yourself as Hansard publish information on Parliament’s website. For further www.parliament. uk/committees cannot accept alterations from your staff. Errors that queries about a select committee report or other aspects Hansard staff have made may be corrected and editorial of a committee’s work, contact the Clerk of the relevant changes suggested. committee or the Committee Office. The reports of proceedings in the Chamber and The Committee Office Media and Communications Service Westminster Hall are published on the Parliament website works directly for individual select committees and their about three hours after the end of Question Time or a staff. Its three main areas of work are: speech. The reports of proceedings in committees take longer to be published. Provision of advice and guidance on all aspects of media and communications, and overseeing media and communications planning

Media management of committee relations with journalists (mainly lobby and subject specialists), coverage, monitoring and evaluation

Delivering engaging content for a wider audience, including drafting releases, articles for publication, and speeches; long-form interviews; and making short films and other audio-visual material. 82 83

House of Commons Library 84 Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (POST) 85 National Audit Office (NAO) 86 Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman 86 Sources of information for constituents 87 Parliamentary Archives 88 Freedom of information, data protection and environmental information regulations requests 89 Information Commissioner 91 INFORMATION SERVICES 84 85

Information services An online catalogue of books and other holdings, and Parliamentary Search, which enables you to find parliamentary publications, debates, votes and other House of Commons Library information relevant to the work of the two Houses. The Library provides information and analysis to assist Library enquiry point x3666 you and your team, both in Westminster and in your hclibrary@ The Library provides a loans desk, and a quiet area to read constituency, on any aspect of your work. A team of parliament.uk and work, including charging points for phones and tablets, research subject specialists offers a unique, confidential and intranet.parliament. laptop docking stations, networked PCs and wi-fi. non-partisan service to support Members, working with you uk/commons-library to supply a response in a way that best suits your needs. Twitter The best way to find out about the services is to come into @commonslibrary the Members’ Library and ask for a tour. You can ask for briefings on: Blog secondreading.uk House of Commons Library training Specific issues of international, national or local Library Loans service Free training courses are provided by the Library, for Library training importance x1515 example on: x2937 librarytraining@ Statistics on economic or social issues parliament.uk Internet search: tools and techniques intranet.parliament. General information (but not specific legal advice) on uk/commons- Library intranet pages issues affecting constituents library-training- and-skills Media and parliamentary sources on the intranet Copies of newspaper articles and speeches. and internet

As well as individual requests, the Library publishes briefings Parliamentary Search. on Bills, regular economic and statistical briefings, arranges Library specialist talks and compiles ‘Debate packs’ of parliamentary and other material relevant to non-legislative debates in the Chamber and Westminster Hall. Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (POST) The Library has a wide range of services on the intranet, including statistical resources: The Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (POST) POST is an office of both Houses of Parliament, with a Board x2848 [email protected] Constituency data including Members of both Houses. It publishes briefings and holds a number of events and seminars each year www.parliament. uk/post A constituency ‘help hub’ that connect parliamentarians to leading experts from the research community and other sectors, including Access to a range of publications, including Government, the third sector and business. newspapers and periodicals 86 87

National Audit Office (NAO) There is a dedicated section for MPs and their caseworkers The NAO scrutinises public spending on behalf of Parliament National Audit Office on the Ombudsman website which provides further and is a source of expertise on all aspects of public spending, 020 7798 7665 information about how you can help your constituents financial management and service delivery. parliament@nao. complain about public services. gsi.gov.uk Working closely with the Public Accounts Committee, the www.nao.org.uk To refer a constituent’s complaint to the Ombudsman, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CA&AG), an Officer of constituent should download and fill in the UK government the House and the head of the NAO, audits the accounts services complaint form; an MP then needs to sign it. Either of Government, reports on the value for money achieved the constituent or the MP can send it to the Ombudsman. in specific areas of government spending, and conducts investigations to establish the facts in cases where concerns Sources of information for constituents have been raised that fall within the C&AG’s remit. The NAO also supports the work of select committees and individual Parliament website Members, including in scrutinising government accounts. The Parliament website is a key source for your constituents @HouseofCommons to find out about Parliament. It also provides the contact and The NAO is particularly interested in any concerns you might @UKParliament have regarding the proper conduct of public business or details that you have agreed to make available as a current on Twitter value for money in the provision of public services. You can Member of Parliament. contact the NAO to raise such concerns or for advice on The Parliament website has a postcode constituency finder, Parliament’s website, matters where you feel the NAO may be able to help. services and so your constituents can check who their MP is and then applications You can sign up to receive embargoed NAO reports on issues Vote Office contact the correct Member’s office. webmaster@ parliament.uk you are interested in, obtain copies from the Vote Office or x3631 A number of social media accounts provide a good way of from the NAO’s website. vote_office@ keeping in touch with parliamentary news. parliament.uk Enquiry Service Parliamentary and Health Service The Enquiry Service answers telephone calls, emails Enquiry Service Ombudsman and letters from the public about the work, history and x4272 The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman looks MP@ombudsman. membership of the House of Commons, and produces hcenquiries@ org.uk parliament.uk into complaints where someone believes there has been publications explaining the work of Parliament. It can injustice or hardship because a UK public organisation has Parliamentary and often help your constituents find information they need Health Service not acted properly or fairly, or has given a poor service and Ombudsman about Parliament. not put things right. They do this independently 0300 061 4953 and impartially. MP@ombudsman. org.uk The service is free for everyone, but complaints about UK www.ombudsman. Government departments and other UK public organisations org.uk must by law be referred to the Ombudsman by an MP. Complaints about the NHS in England can go to the Ombudsman directly. 88 89

Parliamentary Archives The Director of the Parliamentary Archives is always happy The Parliamentary Archives provide a records management Parliamentary to hear from Members, or Member-sponsored groups, who Archives would like to book a tour of the Archives. The Archives and archive service to both Houses. Over three million x2333 adjoins the Victoria Tower repository on the first and second records are held in the Victoria Tower repository, dating from archives@ 1497 to the present day. The Archives can advise on the parliament.uk floors of the Palace. care of your papers, including conservation and storage (the The Archives online Freedom of information, data protection Archives acquire the papers of Members only if they meet catalogue a number of strict criteria). You can refer constituents to www.portcullis. and environmental information parliament.uk the Archives if they are researching parliamentary records. regulations requests The Archives search room is open to you, your staff and The Information Rights and Information Security (IRIS) Information Rights constituents from throughout the year and appointments are team can help Members make the right decisions about and Information advisable. Security (IRIS) processing, protecting and disclosing information and data x4296 Parliamentary Archives opening times on which they are required to work. The team can also iris@parliament. Monday – Friday 10:00am – 4:00pm provide advice and guidance on the operation of information uk intranet. legislation, including the Freedom of Information (Fol)Act, parliament.uk/iris the Environmental Information Regulations (EIR) the Data Information Protection Act and the General Data Protection Regulation. Commissioner 0303 123 1113 Members of the public have a right to request access to ico.org.uk information held by public authorities. The right to request access to information is enshrined in three different laws, according to the type of information to be accessed. Requests for:

information should be dealt with under the Freedom of Information Act

environmental information should be dealt with under the Environmental Information Regulations

an individual to look at his or her personal data should be dealt with under the Data Protection Act.

Members of Parliament are not public authorities under the Freedom of Information Act or the Environmental Information Regulations and therefore are not obliged to respond to requests under these laws. 90 91

Members are subject to the Data Protection Act. Requests Data Protection Act 1998 and General Data for personal data that is held by a Member should Protection Regulation therefore be sent directly to that Member and not to the Individuals have a right to request access to personal data Data Protection House of Commons. about themselves under the Data Protection Act. Such Officer x4296 requests will be processed under the Data Protection Act and Freedom of Information Act 2000 intranet. not the Freedom of Information Act. The Data Protection Act parliament.uk/data- Freedom of The Freedom of Information Act gives individuals the right protection Information Officer also requires the Houses to comply with certain principles to request recorded information held by a public authority. x4296 regarding the way personal data is stored and processed. Data Protection When a request is received, a public authority is obliged to Act 1998: Personal foicommons@ Members are individually responsible under the Data information about identify what is held and consider its disclosure. parliament.uk Protection Act for information held by their offices. They constituents and Both the House of Commons and the House of Lords are intranet. others parliament.uk/foi must register as a ‘Data Controller’ with the Information public authorities under the Act. Members of Parliament Commissioner, which is a straightforward process. intranet.parliament. are not classed as public authorities, so the Act does Freedom of uk/Documents/ Information With effect from May 2018, a new EU legal framework will people-offices/ not apply to the information they hold. If a Freedom of www.parliament. office-departments/ Information request is received by a Member, they may use uk/site-information apply. The General Data Protection Regulation is similar to DHRC/FOI/Advice- their discretion as to how it is answered and how much /foi the Data Protection Act and applies to those who have day- for-Members-and- to-day responsibility for data protection. Data-Protection- information is given. However, it is important to note Feb15-WEB.pdf that any Member’s correspondence sent to and held by a public authority (including hospitals, schools, local councils, Information Commissioner Government Departments, etc.) might be subject to release by that public authority upon request. The Information Commissioner’s Office is the UK’s independent authority set up to promote access to official When responding to requests, please be aware that there [email protected] information and to protect personal information. Further are procedural requirements set out in the Act that a details about relevant laws are available on the Information public authority must follow. There are also valid reasons Commissioner’s Office website. for withholding information, known as exemptions, which are designed to prevent unwarranted prejudice or harm arising from disclosure. These include, but are not limited to, protection for parliamentary privilege, personal data and security matters.

Environmental Information Regulations 2004 Members of the public have a right to request access to information about the environment. Such requests are processed under the Environmental Information Regulations and not the Freedom of Information Act. 92 93

Catering services 94 Members’ showers and changing rooms 96 Members’ cloakroom and lockers 97 Families and children 97 Nursery 97 Lost property 98 Cash machines 98 Westminster Gym 98 Hairdressing salon 98 Retail and shops 99 Chapel and Chaplain 99 Smoking and use of e-cigarettes 99 Photography, filming, FACILITIES radio and drawing 100 Medical facillities 103 94 95

FACILITIES Ground floor facilities Terrace Cafeteria is open all day serving Britain’s Catering services favourite foods and classic international dishes. There There are many catering outlets on the Parliamentary Estate. Outlets, menus is easy access to the riverside Terrace. You are entitled to entertain guests in most places, with the and access intranet. exception of the Members’ Dining Room and Members’ parliament.uk/ Strangers’ Bar offers the widest range of draught Tea Room (the Smoking Room is predominantly exclusive to catering-outlets beers, real ales (including guest ales), spirits and wines Members, but guests are allowed in the afternoons). General information in the House of Commons, as well as access to the x3686 riverside Terrace. The opening hours of, and access arrangements for, each Events Team facility vary according to their location on the Estate. x3090 Churchill Room is predominately used for events. It Opening times change in recess periods. Full details of opens as a restaurant on Monday evenings, providing opening hours, locations, access regulations and menus are another full-service dining option for you and your available on the intranet. guests. Booking is advisable and may be made online.

Palace of Westminster Moncrieff’s Café bar forms part of the press complex Principal floor facilities have easy access to the and can be found between Star Chamber Court and Chamber and Central Lobby. the Colonnades, and accessed via a lift. Barista-crafted coffee and all-day snacks are available. Members’ Tea Room provides you with a venue in Jubilee Café is located near the main entrance to which to have hot and cold meals and light refreshments Westminster Hall and offers barista-made coffee and throughout the day. Access is restricted to Members. light snacks to all visitors to Parliament. Members’ Dining Room is a traditional full-service Portcullis House Atrium dining room for Members only. Bookings are not taken. Despatch Box is the place for barista-crafted coffee, Strangers’ Dining Room is a full service, fine dining speciality teas, homemade baguettes and snacks. experience and is ideal for entertaining. Booking is advisable and may be made online. The Adjournment is a casual dining, table service restaurant featuring classic favourites and modern Pugin Room offers morning coffees and an extensive dishes. Booking is advisable and may be made online. range of afternoon teas to you and your guests in splendid surroundings. Debate is an assisted-service cafeteria with an eclectic menu influenced by global street food and London’s Smoking Room is a relaxing lounge that offers an thriving food market scene. It offers breakfasts, lunches afternoon tea service for Members and up to six guests. and an extensive range of snack items. It reverts to Members-only bar service in the evenings. 96 97

1 Parliament Street Members’ cloakroom and lockers

Members’ Bellamy’s self-service offers you healthier hot lunches, There is a Members’ cloakroom next to the Members’ entrance in New Palace Yard. You are allocated your own peg. Accommodation an innovative salad bar, jacket potatoes and a view Manager over Parliament Square. An attendant is normally available in the cloakroom during the x3080 working day. Vending services are also available in Norman Shaw North, Lockers are available for you in various corridors in the Palace. Norman Shaw South, Portcullis House first floor, and the Applications for a locker should be made to the Members’ Palace Clock Corridor (near the photo booth). Accommodation Manager in the In-House Services.

Members’ showers and changing rooms Families and children Shower and changing rooms for female Members are off The Members’ Families’ room, off the Lower Waiting Hall, the Library Corridor (principal floor) and the Clock Corridor is available for use by your spouse or partner and other (ground floor near the cash machines). They are available at family members on sitting days from 10am until the rise of all times on both sitting and non-sitting days. the House and on non-sitting days from 10am to 6pm. A television set and a small selection of toys are available. Shower and changing rooms for male Members are opposite the hairdressing salon in the North Curtain Corridor by the There is a baby care room on the second floor of the Palace, Terrace Cafeteria. They are available at all times on both near the pulpit on the Upper Committee Corridor, where sitting and non-sitting days. parents may feed babies in privacy and comfort. Baby- changing facilities are available directly opposite this room. Bathrooms are available in the north-west corners of floors 2, 3, 4 and 5 in Portcullis House. On the principal floor

Off the Lower Waiting Hall

First floor of Portcullis House, one next to Meeting Room P and another close to the Attlee Suite.

Nursery Children of Members and their staff between three months Nursery and five years of age are eligible to use the bright and x0655 modern nursery in 1 Parliament Street. 98 99

Lost property Retail and shops Lost property Lost property is managed by staff in the Hallkeeper’s Lodge General enquiries: x4626 A range of exclusive products and bespoke gifts are available in St Stephen’s Hall, to whom lost property should be to you, your guests and your staff from the following shops: x3890 [email protected] handed and any enquiries addressed. shop@ Duty Manager parliament.uk When the Hallkeeper’s Lodge is closed, any urgent enquiries (urgent enquiries) House of Commons Shop in the Medals Corridor (off intranet.parliament. 07623 511222 about lost property should be made to the Duty Manager. the House of Commons Terrace) uk/commons-gift- shops Jubilee Shop (off Westminster Hall) Cash machines Houses of Parliament Shop at 12 Bridge Street, which Cash machines are available in the Palace: stocks a range of gifts, souvenirs, books and current parliamentary and Government documents Clock Corridor Online shop. Ground floor post office in Portcullis House

Corridor outside the Lords’ Bar Selected souvenirs are available from the Despatch Box in Portcullis House. River Restaurant on the ground floor. Chapel and Chaplain Westminster Gym The Chapel of St Mary Undercroft is off Westminster Chapel of St Mary The Westminster Gym is in 1 Canon Row. Various Westminster Gym Hall, to the right of the steps leading down from St Undercroft x5546 x3100 membership options are available to all passholders. It Stephen’s entrance. contains a comprehensive range of equipment and provides Speaker’s Chaplain x3768 a wide range of exercise classes. Both male and female Every Wednesday when the House of Commons or the House of Lords is sitting, Holy Communion services are held intranet.parliament. changing rooms are fitted with saunas, and there is a steam uk/speakers- room and vertical sun bed. An extensive range of therapies is at 10.15am and 12.45pm, and Roman Catholic masses are chaplain held at 6pm. also offered. Service enquiries Members may use the Chapel for weddings, christenings 020 7654 4847 and other services. Up to six visitors may be escorted into the Black Rod’s Office Hairdressing salon x3101 Chapel by full parliamentary passholders at certain times. There is a hairdressing salon, John Simon, in the North Hairdressing salon x3093 Curtain Corridor, close to the Terrace Cafeteria. The opening Information can be obtained from Black Rod’s Office. hours during recesses are posted on the door. Smoking and use of e-cigarettes Hairdressing Salon opening times Smoking is not permitted on the Parliamentary Estate except intranet. parliament.uk/maps Monday – Friday 9:00am – 6:00pm (Sitting only) in the designated areas shown on the maps available on the intranet. Similarly the House of Commons Commission has 100 101

agreed that the use of e-cigarettes should only be permitted in designated outdoor areas. Visitors, for whom you or your staff have responsibility, must not smoke or use e-cigarettes except in designated outdoor areas.

Photography, filming, radio and drawing There are restrictions on photography, filming, painting and sketching, and radio interviews on the Parliamentary Estate for all Members and passholders.

Exclusions Filming and photography in connection with advertising, Administration fundraising or for commercial purposes may not take place Committee x4151 at any time, nor may the following areas be used without committeea@ the express permission of the Administration Committee: parliament.uk

The Chambers, Division Lobbies, Members’ Lobbies or committee rooms of either House

Any place along the public tour route.

Direct arrangements Members may make their own arrangements without additional permissions for filming and photography in the following areas:

Members’ own offices

Interview/meeting rooms in Westminster Hall and Portcullis House

The Jubilee Room

Conference and meeting rooms in the parliamentary outbuildings at times when they are normally available. 102 103

New Palace Yard and House of Medical facilities Commons Terrace The Parliamentary Health and Wellbeing Service (HWS) offers Health and Wellbeing Service Members can be filmed and photographed in these areas Serjeant at Arms specialist medical advice, guidance and support. x1484 subject to a few conditions. Requests must be booked, in Access Team x0141 The HWS team includes occupational health doctors, an shwsadmin@ advance, through the Serjeant at Arms Access Team. You will parliament.uk saaaccessteam@ occupational health adviser and a clinical nurse advisor. The be provided with a permit to show to security staff on arrival parliament.uk main medical services provided for Members are as follows: intranet.parliament. in the area. uk/health-and- wellbeing Interview points in Central Lobby, Committee Corridor, Confidential medical assessments – these are offered Medical emergencies Atrium and outside Macmillan Room, Portcullis House to Members every three years or more frequently if x3333 requested. These areas may be pre-booked by pass-holding members Admission HWS Practice Manager of the Press who are either interviewing Members or for Order Office x3700 Occupational health issues – an occupational health x1484 an introduction or commentary on specific business of the consultant can provide advice. Clinical nurse advisor House. They should be booked in advance through the x5103 Admission Order Office. General Practitioner (GP) service – if you wish to see a GP because of an acute medical problem, you Broadcasting should first contact the clinical nurse advisor in the The Broadcasting Unit provides camera coverage of Select an image or Lower Waiting Hall, who can then arrange for an proceedings in Parliament. For a small charge, they can video clip x5511 appointment to be made. make available video from proceedings in the Commons or Order material or for Minor treatments – the clinical nurse advisor is provide a photographic still from any item in the archive as a any other enquires photographic print or jpeg computer file. relating to the archive available in the Lower Waiting Hall for advice on illness [email protected]. and injuries occurring at work and will refer patients Broadcasting Unit to specialist agencies where necessary. Facilities are x5511 available for minor treatments such as dressings or the [email protected] removal of stitches. www. parliamentlive.tv Overseas travel – vaccinations and medication for official overseas travel can be provided free of charge, via HWS, at St Thomas’ Hospital. 104 105

Northern Estate 106 Palace of Westminster 107

BUILDING WORK ON THE ESTATE 106 107

Building Work on the Estate Palace of Westminster Cast iron roofs There are a number of renovation projects taking place on intranet. parliament.uk/ This eight-year programme to refurbish the cast iron roofs of the Parliamentary Estate. building-works the Palace is now working on the river front middle and the courts. This work is being carried out at night and weekends, Northern Estate and during recesses. Canon Row Project Courtyard stonework conservation The Canon Row Project will fully refurbish and repair the The stonework in courtyards throughout the Palace is currently unoccupied Grade II* building. deteriorating due to issues such as damage from water penetration. These works seek to reduce decay and to The new accommodation will provide a unit for PDS and prevent further loss of the historically significant carvings the Broadcasting department, and will also allow Members and masonry throughout the courtyards of this Grade I listed easier access to the audio visual (AV) suite without having to building. They will also restore and repair the stonework and leave the Estate. bronze windows.

Northern Estates Programme Elizabeth Tower The Northern Estate Programme is a major renovation of a The work on the Elizabeth Tower is to undertake necessary number of listed buildings on the Parliamentary Estate north of repair and maintenance of the building fabric and the clock Bridge Street. The programme will deliver flexible and resilient and mechanism to preserve and maintain them for future buildings with reduced running costs, increased environmental generations. performance and improved safety and accessibility. Westminster Hall Westminster Hall is undergoing large-scale conservation and refurbishment work, which includes an enhanced lighting scheme, internal conservation of the hammer-beam roof, fire safety improvement works and both internal and external repair to the lead-covered lantern at the southern end of the Hall. 108 109

Room bookings 110 Food and drink for meetings 111 Exhibitions 111 Performance events 113 House of Commons venue hire 113

ROOM BOOKINGS, EVENTS AND EXHIBITIONS 110 111

Room bookings, events and Food and drink for meetings exhibitions Different arrangements for the consumption and provision of food and drink apply to different meeting rooms: Room bookings No refreshments, except water, may be consumed in the A variety of meeting rooms are available across the Self-service room booking system committee rooms. Hot drinks may be permitted during Parliamentary Estate, including the committee rooms on the intranet. private committee meetings at the discretion of the Chair. Committee Corridor and in Portcullis House. Rooms may be parliament.uk/ self-service-room- booked for a maximum of two hours; if longer periods are Portcullis House: a chargeable hospitality service is Portcullis House bookings required then additional Members’ names must be indicated. available for meeting rooms on the first floor. Hospitality Supervisor Your staff may not book rooms in their own names. x1688 1 Parliament Street: refreshments (available for portcullis A self-service room booking system is available 24 hours purchase from Bellamy’s on the first floor) may be housecatering @parliament.uk a day, seven days a week for all meeting rooms (except consumed in meeting rooms on the ground floor, but committee rooms). All bookings will be automatically must be self-cleared. confirmed by email. Committees of the House have absolute priority, and private Westminster Hall (W rooms): hot beverages only may be consumed if purchased from the Jubilee Café, but meetings in committee rooms may be bumped or cancelled at any time by committee business; this is particularly likely must be self-cleared. on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Whilst every effort will be Westminster Hall (Jubilee Room): catering provision is Jubilee Room made to ensure that your original booking is maintained, serviced by the Jubilee Café. Further details and a catering intranet. please understand this may not always be possible. The parliament.uk/ booking form can be found on the Jubilee Room intranet jubilee-room Events Team will do its best to accommodate your needs if page. This is a self-collect and clear service. alternatives are available.

If your booking is altered or cancelled, the Events Team will Events Team Separate arrangements apply to the booking of banqueting x3090 send an email to the person who made the booking or the and private dining rooms administered by the Events Team. named host to notify you of the change. If your booking hoceventsteam@ parliament.uk is made in advance there may well be several alterations Exhibitions in the time before your meeting. You will receive an email notification each time there is a change. Upper Waiting Hall Exhibitions in the Upper Waiting Hall are for the information Exhibition guidance of Members of both Houses. Exhibitions are held when the and applications intranet. House is sitting and run for five days only. parliament.uk/ upper-waiting-hall- Exhibitions should not be of a contentious nature or contain exhibitions items of advertising, commercial interest or material likely to give offence. Nor should they contain material intended to further the aims of any political party or group. 112 113

If you wish to sponsor an exhibition, you will need to apply Performance events to enter the ballot for exhibitions. You should sign a ballot You may have legitimate interests in supporting the form to confirm that the exhibition meets the above criteria. performing arts. Subject to certain restrictions, you may The list of exhibitions will be submitted to the Administration sponsor such events in the Attlee Suite, the Terrace Pavilion Committee for approval. or the Members’ Dining Room. For musical performances, There are three annual booking periods. You are restricted to you must liaise with the Events Team. one application during a booking period and no more than If these venues are unsuitable and if the Administration one application for the same exhibition will be entered into Committee considers it appropriate, the Speaker has agreed each ballot. that very limited use of the Portcullis House Atrium may be Portcullis House made for such events providing that they do not disrupt Speaker’s parliamentary business. The Portcullis House Atrium is reserved only for art Advisory exhibitions mounted by the Speaker’s Advisory Committee Committee on House of Commons venue hire on Works of Art and information exhibitions of interest to Works of Art Members and others, which are sponsored by teams of x4151 Parliament’s impressive venues are exceptionally versatile the House. If an individual Member wishes to sponsor an [email protected] and ideal for any occasion, from an intimate dinner or lavish exhibition this can be done in the Upper Waiting Hall. banquet to a business conference or private wedding. If you are interested in mounting an art exhibition in the Atrium you should take your proposal to the Speaker’s Advisory Committee on Works of Art. Art exhibitions will normally be displayed along the wall from the escalators to the post office.

Westminster Hall Occasionally, exhibitions and events are held in Westminster Westminster Hall Hall. If you would like to hire a meeting room, dining room Advisory Group intranet. or purpose built marquee, details are available online. These parliament.uk/ can be one-off events or exhibitions lasting several weeks or, westminster-hall- for major exhibitions, several months. exhibitions-events If you have a proposal for an exhibition or event for Westminster Hall, please contact the Westminster Hall Advisory Group. The group advises the key stakeholders of Westminster Hall on the feasibility, appropriateness and cost of any proposed exhibitions and events in Westminster Hall. 114 115

Access arrangements for spouses or partners 116 Visitors to Parliament 116 Access to the Terrace 117 Education Service 117 Democratic Access Tours of Parliament (Members’ Tours) 118 Outreach and Engagement Service 118 Public Gallery 119

VISITORS AND GUESTS 116 117

Visitors and guests Access to the Terrace You may escort up to six guests (including your staff and members of the press) on to the Terrace. For further Access arrangements for spouses or partners advice on taking guests on to the Terrace or for the access regulations please see the full rules on the intranet or You may sponsor an application by your spouse or Pass Office contact the Serjeant at Arms Office for guidance. partner for a parliamentary photo-identity pass. For more x5922 information, contact the Pass Office. Education Service Spouses and partners holding parliamentary photo-identity passes may access a number of areas on the Parliamentary Parliament’s Education Service aims to inform, engage and Education Service x4496 Estate, including many catering facilities, the Members’ empower young people to help them understand, and get involved in, Parliament, politics and democracy. It provides education@ Families’ room and the Westminster Gym. For further advice parliament.uk curriculum-based resources and engagement opportunities on facilities for spouses and partners, please contact the www.parliament. Serjeant at Arms. to help students and teachers explore the role, work and uk/education history of Parliament, and supports Members of both Houses in their work with young people. Visitors to Parliament The Education Service runs an annual programme of school www.parliament. All visitors to Parliament must be security screened and be intranet.parliament. visits to Parliament (which schools book directly with the uk/transport-subsidy uk/access-buildings/ issued with a visitor’s pass. Visitors may proceed unescorted www.parliament. access/bringing- Education Service). Qualifying schools are also eligible for a uk/schoolvisits within the public areas, but must be met and escorted by a visitors-to- transport subsidy to support the costs of travelling. parliamentary passholder with escorting rights if entry into a parliament/ non-public area is required. Visitors must be escorted at all intranet.parliament. Alongside a national Teacher Training programme and a times, including to the exit at the end of their visit, or back uk/access-buildings/ regional schools outreach programme, a range of printed, access/vip-access/ to a public area within the Estate. online, and film resources are available for schools. All bookings and enquiries should be directed to the For advice on receiving guests or information for visitors Serjeant at Arms Education Service. with special requirements, please contact the Serjeant at x3030 Arms Office. saaenquiries@ The Education Service welcomes around 90,000 school parliament.uk visitors a year through the Education Centre, based in Please note that there is no car parking available to visitors, intranet. Victoria Tower Gardens. Our free-of-charge programmes but there is a public car park opposite Parliament at parliament.uk/ terrace-access are led by a member of the Education Visits team and Abingdon Street. There is very limited space for disabled include a tour of the Palace of Westminster. Members are visitors on official business and this must be pre-booked contacted when a school from their constituency is visiting, through the Serjeant at Arms Office. to give them the option of speaking to the group if they are available. 118 119

Democratic Access Tours of Parliament Supporting higher education institutions in your (Members’ Tours) constituency by promoting engagement between Parliament, students and academics. The Tours Office, within Parliament’s Education Service, Tours Office manages Member-sponsored (Democratic Access) tours of x3003 Working with select committees to diversify the voices the Palace of Westminster. [email protected] they hear from. Tour times Guided tours are free of charge. Visitors will be taken on www.parliament. intranet.parliament. They provide a monthly email newsletter for the public the Visitor Route, which may include the Chambers of both uk/mailing-list Houses, the State Rooms in the House of Lords, Central uk/members-tours about opportunities to engage with Parliament’s work – Lobby, St Stephen’s Hall and Westminster Hall. please encourage your constituents to sign up. The full tour is not available when either House is sitting. They can provide you with free posters, leaflets and Tours take around 75 minutes. online resources on request, to spread the word to your constituents about these free services. A permit is not required for parties of six or fewer when personally accompanied by you. For parties larger than this (up to 20 people), special permits must be applied for from Public Gallery the Tours Office, but these are limited in number. The Admission Order Office is responsible for issuing tickets Admission Order for the galleries of the House of Commons. It is located just Office For further information on tours, please contact the Tours x3700 off Central Lobby behind the statue of Gladstone. Office. aooffice@ parliament.uk Please note that you must not charge money for tours of Members can apply for two tickets per month on a Wednesday or up to six tickets on all other sitting days. In Public Gallery Parliament. Additionally, tours should not be auctioned or intranet.parliament. offered as prizes in raffles etc. addition, two tickets are automatically allocated to uk/access-buildings/ Members, based on a rota system. access/galleries Outreach and Engagement Service To find out when a Member has their allocation, please check the allocation list, which is available from the The Outreach and Engagement Service works with people Outreach and Admission Order Office or on the intranet. and communities in constituencies across the UK to increase Engagement Service x1650 public understanding of, and engagement with, Parliament. outreach@ You can get help with: parliament.uk www.parliament. uk/get-involved Delivering community workshops to groups in your constituency. This includes tailored programmes for @YourUKParl women, adults with learning disabilities (ALD), young people and Welsh speakers.

Engaging with your constituents through UK Parliament Week, a week-long festival of grassroots events. 120 121

Appendices

Appendix I – key contacts All Westminster numbers prefixed with 020 7219 Feedback with any compliments, complaints and comments: [email protected], www.parliament.uk/ feedback, or call or text the customer team with feedback on 07712 402074 or x7777. Appendix I - Key contacts 122

24/7Appendix numbers II - Maps 125 Security Control x3333 in an emergency or 999 if off the Estate

Security Control x5311 non-emergencies

Parliament main switchboard x3000, switchboard supervisor x6161

Digital Support Desk x2001 [email protected]

Parliamentary Maintenance Service Team Help Desk (maintenance and cleaning) x4747

Access Pass Office x5920 [email protected]

Serjeant at Arms x3030 [email protected]

Offices APPENDICES 122 123

Appendices Facilities HR advice - pay, pensions, Banqueting and Events Team (room finance, wellbeing, travel bookings, private dining, banqueting Members’ HR Advice Service, services, film permits, exhibitions) Appendix I - Key contacts 020 7219 2080 x3090 [email protected] All Westminster numbers prefixed with 020 7219 Nursery x0655 Health Assured Members’ Staff helpline 0800 030 518235 (for your staff) Feedback with any compliments, complaints and comments: General catering enquiries x3686 [email protected], www.parliament.uk/feedback, or call or text the customer Accounts Receivable x6308 to pay Postmaster (mail services) x4637 team with feedback on 07712 402074 or x7777. debts owning to the House Westminster Gym x5546 Accounts Payable x0707 24/7 numbers John Simon Hair Salon x3093 Business of the House Members’ Pensions x2106 Security Control x3333 in an [email protected] Procedural Hub x7333 emergency or 999 if off the Estate Parliamentary Parliamentary Health and Wellbeing Service x4782/1484 Security Control x5311 non- Table Office x3302/3303 Commissioner for [email protected] emergencies Library – research and information Standards x3666 Members’ Insurance x5732 Parliament main switchboard x3000, Parliamentary Commissioner for Travel Office x4232 switchboard supervisor x6161 Parliamentary Recording/Broadcasting Standards general enquiries x3277 Unit x5511 [email protected] Diversity and Inclusion x1713 [email protected] Digital Support Desk x2001 [email protected] Office of the Clerk of the House of Commons x3758 Parliamentary Maintenance Service Independent Parliamentary Team Help Desk (maintenance and Standards Authority (IPSA)

cleaning) x4747 Education Service General enquiries 020 7811 6400 [email protected] x4496 [email protected] Access

Pass Office x5920 Events, room bookings Information handling [email protected] and tours Information Rights and Information Security team (IRIS) x4296/2559 Serjeant at Arms x3030 Events Team x3090 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Information Commissioner’s Office Tours Office x3003 www.ico.org.uk [email protected] OTCS OSE 124 OTCS OSE 125

Information services Appendix II – Maps Library enquiry point x3666 Portcullis House

Parliamentary Office of Science and Passenger lift Technology (POST) x2840 Passenger lift Wheelchair accessible lavatory House of Commons Enquiry Service x4272 Wheelchair accessible lavatory

Outreach and Engagement x4496 Female lavatory Female lavatory Parliamentary Outreach x1650 Male Malelavatory lavatory Tours Office x3003 MobilityMobility impaired impaired persons’persons’ refuge refuge and and communicationcommunication point point Offices

Accommodation and Logistics Services x1319 (Members’ offices) ROOMROOM U U INTERVIEW BOOTHROYDBOOTHROYD BRIDGE FROM NORMAN INTERVIEW or x3080 (general enquiries) BRIDGE FROM NORMAN ROOMROOM ROOMROOM 1 1 accommodationservices.parliament.uk SHAW SOUTH FIRSTFIRST FLOOR FLOOR SHAW SOUTH INTERVIEWINTERVIEW ROOMROOM 2 2 Parliamentary Maintenance Service Team THE ATTLEETHE ATTLEE SUITE SUITE FUNCTION Help Desk (maintenance and cleaning) FUNCTION ROOMROOM M M ROOMROOM x4747 ROOMROOM N N THE MACMILLANTHE MACMILLAN ROOM ROOM ROOMROOM O O THE GRIMONDTHE GRIMOND ROOMROOM THE THATCHERTHE THATCHER ROOMROOM Parliamentary Digital Service THE WILSONTHE WILSON ROOMROOM ROOMROOM P P ROOM Q Digital Service Support Desk x2001 ROOMROOM T T ROOM Q ROOMROOM R R RIVER THAMES ROOMROOM S S RIVER THAMES

NORMANNORMAN SHAW SHAW VISITORS’ VISITORS’ VOTE OFFICEVOTEBUILDINGS OFFICEBUILDINGS VISITORS’ VISITORS’ RECEPTIONRECEPTION ENTRANCE GROUND FLOOR ENTRANCE Security GROUND FLOOR MEMBERS’MEMBERS’ CENTRECENTRE Security Control (including theft and out THE DEBATETHE DEBATE of hours access to offices) x5311 CAFETERIA ESCALATORESCALATOR AND LIFT AND TO LIFT TO CAFETERIA PALACE OF WESTMINSTER PALACE OF WESTMINSTER AND ACCESS TO AND ACCESS TO Parliamentary Security Department x2244 ATRIUM DIGITAL SERVICE ATRIUM DIGITAL SERVICE DROP-IN [email protected] DROP-IN POST OFFICE POST COUNTEROFFICE THECOUNTER DESPATCH BOX THE ADJOURNMENT THE DESPATCHCOFFEE BAR BOX THE ADJOURNMENT COFFEE BAR RESTAURANT RESTAURANT STEPS TO Speaker’s Office STEPS TO1 PARLIAMENT 1 PARLIAMENTSTREET STREET General enquiries x5300 126 127

Palace of Westminster ATTLEE ROOM SECOND FLOOR FIRST FLOOR PRINCIPAL FLOOR GROUND FLOOR PARLIAMENTARYARCHIVES

CHOLMONDELEYROOM ROYAL

COURT ROYAL GALLERY LORDS BARRIVER AND RESTAURANT HOUSE OF LORDS HARCOURTCORRIDOR CHURCHILL ROOM COMMITTEEROOMS 2A 3A 4A LIBRARY PUGIN ROOM PEERS’ DINING ROOM

95 95 95 A-D SOVEREIGN'SENTRANCE BLACK ROD’S UPPER HALLWAITING COMMITTEEROOMS 17-21 GARDEN ENTRANCE LOWERWAITING HALL

DINING ROOMS VICTORIA TOWER MEMBERS’ AND COMMONSTAXI POINT CHAPELUNDERCROFT OF ST MARY RIVER THAMES 271 271 STRANGERS’ DINING ROOMS COMMITTEE ROOMS 16-1 OLD PALACE YARD

COMMITTEE TERRACE CAFETERIA

ROOMS 17-21 HOUSE OF VEHICLE ENTRANCE (as directed)

HARCOURT

GALLERY CORRIDOR COMMONS LIBRARY ST STEPHEN'S

STRANGERS’ ENTRANCE 95 SECOND FLOOR WESTMINSTERHALL

Wheelchair Route STRANGERS’ ROOM GALLERY JUBILEE COMMITTEE Wheelchair accessible lavatory ROOMS 16-1 ENTRANCE PARLIAMENTARY CLOCK CROMWELL GREEN UPPER WAITING ARCHIVES TOWER HALL Fully accessible lavatory COMMITTEE ROOMS 2A 3A 4A

ROOM YARD Female lavatory GRAND NEW PALACE

FIRST FLOOR JUBILEE 95 COMMITTEE Male lavatory SHOP AND CAFE Induction loop area

Wheelchair accessible SUBWAY LINK TO lifts* PORTCULLIS HOUSE

COMMONS LIBRARYSTRANGERS’ DINING ROOMS HOUSE OF MEMBERS’ AND Wheelchair accessible routes Induction loop area Wheelchair accessible *All lifts shown on this map are suitable for emergency evacuation lifts* Wheelchair accessible lavatory Fully accessible lavatory Female lavatory Male lavatory PEERS’ DINING LOWER ROOM WAITING HALL PUGIN ROOM

HOUSE OF LORDS LIBRARY PRINCIPAL FLOOR 95 COMMITTEEGRAND 271 ROOM JUBILEE ROYAL ROOM GALLERY

TERRACE CAFETERIA

DINING ROOMS RIVER THAMES CHURCHILL ROOM CLOCK SUBWAY LINK TO PORTCULLIS HOUSE TOWER A-D

LORDS BAR AND GROUND FLOOR RIVER RESTAURANT

CHOLMONDELEY ATTLEE ROOM CHAPEL OF ST MARY ROOM UNDERCROFT NEW PALACE YARD WESTMINSTER HALL SHOP ANDJUBILEE CAFE 271 VICTORIA TOWER ROYAL COURT

COMMONS TAXI POINT

ST STEPHEN'S OLD PALACE YARD ENTRANCE CROMWELL GREEN SOVEREIGN'S ENTRANCE ENTRANCE

VEHICLE ENTRANCE (as directed) GARDEN BLACKENTRANCE ROD’S

*All lifts shown on this map are suitable for emergency evacuation Estate Parliamentary

PORTCULLIS HOUSE PORTCULLIS THE PALACE OF WESTMINSTER NORMAN SHAW SOUTH HOUSE MAIN ENTRANCE No1 CANON ROW No1 PARLIAMENT STREET NORMAN SHAW NORTH No1 DERBY GATE RICHMOND HOUSE & TERRACE 53 PARLIAMENT STREET 130 For other publications visit: intranet.parliament.uk/commons-publications Cover image © UK Parliament/Jessica Taylor