HOUSE OF LORDS

Annual Report 2014/15

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TSO@Blackwell and other Accredited Agents Ordered to be printed 14 July 2015 House of Lords Annual Report | 2014/15 3

Contents Foreword by the Lord Speaker 4 Preface by the Clerk of the Parliaments 5 House of Lords Administration Structure 6 Introduction 7 Implementation of the Business Plan 13 Expenditure 36 Audit Committee Annual Report 2014/15 38 Sustainability Report 47 Diversity and Corporate Responsibility Report 52 Appendix A: House of Lords Administration Strategic Plan 2014-19 54 Appendix B: House of Lords Organisation Structure 57 Appendix C: Composition of the House of Lords 2014/15 58 Appendix D: Activity Data 2014/15 60 Appendix E: Aggregate Activity Data 2011-2015 63 4 House of Lords Annual Report | 2014/15

Foreword by the Lord Speaker This year’s Annual Report demonstrates the volume and breadth of work undertaken by the House during the final session of the 2010-15 Parliament. The House scrutinised a total of 36 bills in the Session including significant Government bills such as Modern Slavery and Serious Crime as well as high-profile Private Members’ Bills including the Assisted Dying Bill. The House’s Select Committees also continued to be effective in considering specific areas of Government policy in detail. Select Committee work in this session included three ad-hoc Committees which produced significant reports on Digital Skills and the UK economy, Affordable Childcare and the Arctic. The House also appointed a Committee to conduct post-legislative scrutiny of the Extradition Act 2003 and extradition law. This has been a year of positive change in terms of rules on membership of the House. One of the most welcome developments was the entry into force of the House of Lords Reform Act 2014 last August, which allowed members to retire from the service of the House. 11 members retired in the 2014-15 session, with others following suit in the dissolution period and the new Parliament. I would like to use this opportunity to reiterate my thanks for the years of public service provided by those members who have now retired. The year has also seen two other important developments on membership of the House. The House of Lords (Expulsion and Suspension) Act 2015, a private members’ bill sponsored by my predecessor Baroness Hayman, made provision for the House to expel or suspend members in certain circumstances. The Lords Spiritual (Women) Act 2015 made time-limited provision for vacancies among the Lords Spiritual to be filled by bishops who are women in order to ensure women bishops are present in the House as soon as possible. These important changes go toward ensuring the membership of the House is fit for a 21st Century Parliament. The Annual Report also demonstrates the hard work going on to make Parliament more sustainable. The Sustainability Report included below shows progress toward achieving our objectives for reducing carbon emissions, water consumption, waste generation and recycling. This is important work in which every member and member of staff needs to play their part to help the House achieve its goals. This programme is just part of the wider efforts of the Administration to support the work of the House and ensure it functions efficiently and effectively, which is amply demonstrated in this Annual Report.

D’Souza House of Lords Annual Report | 2014/15 5

Preface by the Clerk of the Parliaments The year covered by this report, largely coinciding with the last session of the 2010-15 Parliament, was a busy one for the House of Lords Administration, with a particular focus on partnership and joint working with the House of Commons. In addition to maintaining business as usual, perhaps the most high-profile issue was the future of the Palace of Westminster and preparations for the publication of the Independent Options Appraisal in June 2015. Taking the Restoration and Renewal Programme forward will be a major priority in 2015/16. There was much else besides, including the work leading up to the formation of the Parliamentary Digital Service on 1 April 2015. The Digital Service brings together all online and ICT services (previously divided between the Parliamentary ICT Service and the Web and Intranet Service) into a single organisation with the aim of delivering rising levels of satisfaction with Parliament’s digital services from Members, staff and the public. In relation to security, the House Committee and House of Commons Commission agreed to a more coherent governance structure following a review commissioned jointly by the Clerks of both Houses, and to bring the Metropolitan Police Service’s civilian security officers in-House. Both changes will come into effect during the next year. The House of Commons Governance Committee, which reported in December, recommended twice- yearly meetings between the House of Commons Commission and the House Committee, and the first such meeting will take place in October 2015. The House of Commons Governance Committee also supported a suggestion which I made in evidence that there should be a review of the opportunities for further joint working between the two Houses. The results of that work are due to be discussed at the joint meeting in October. Governance in the House of Lords is now the focus of a Group appointed by the Leader of the House which was announced in March 2015 and is chaired by Baroness Shephard of Northwold. This Annual Report includes for the first time a Diversity & Corporate Responsibility Report. This is an area in which we have made some good progress recently but where in some respects, as shown for example in the diversity statistics for appointments made in 2014/15, I am keen to be able to do much better. One of my aims over the coming year will be to see how we can most effectively focus our efforts, not just in relation to staff of the House but also, for instance, in meeting the needs of disabled members and visitors. On this, and more generally, I am keen to hear ideas about how the Administration can better serve the House and its members. I look forward to continuing to engage with the Leader’s Group on governance and then to working with members to make a success of implementing any changes which the Group may recommend.

David Beamish 6 House of Lords Annual Report | 2014/15

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Introduction The strategic aim of the House of Lords Administration is to enable the House and its members to carry out their parliamentary functions effectively. This annual report for the financial year from 1 April 2014 to 31 March 2015 shows delivery against that aim of the House of Lords Business Plan 2014/15.1 The report focuses primarily on strategic developments for the Administration and sets out an assessment, by strategic objective, of the fulfilment of the chief tasks contained in that Business Plan. This is the first annual report to be published under the House of Lords Administration’s Strategic Plan 2014-19, adopted by the House Committee on 18 June 2013 (Appendix A), which also informed the production of the 2015/16 Business Plan published in March 2015.2 Alongside the Sustainability Report, a Diversity and Corporate Responsibility report is included in this report for the first time. House Committee The House Committee is the principal domestic committee of the House. It sets the policy framework for the Administration of the House, provides non-executive guidance to the Management Board and has particular responsibility for financial matters. It approves the House’s strategic, business and financial plans, annual reports, annual estimates and supplementary estimates and supervises the arrangements relating to financial support for members. The House Committee has approved this annual report. The Committee, which is chaired by the Lord Speaker, has twelve members. The Leaders of the three main parties, the Convenor of the Crossbench Peers and the Chairman of Committees are members on an ex officio basis. There are six backbench members and the chairmen of the House’s Audit and Information Committees also attend as observers. During the year the House Committee considered a range of matters, including: • A proposal for a health-check of the scheme of financial support for members. • The construction of an Education Centre at the northern end of Victoria Tower Gardens.

1 HL Paper 140 (session 2013-14) published on 24 February 2014: http://www.parliament.uk/documents/lords- information-office/2014/House-of-Lords-Business-Plan-2014-15.pdf. Information concerning the House’s legislative and select committee activity, as well as membership developments, is presented for the 2014-15 parliamentary session which began on 4 June 2014 and ended on 30 March 2015. 2 HL Paper 150 (session 2014-15): http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld201516/ldselect/ldbusplan/150/150. pdf 8 House of Lords Annual Report | 2014/15

• Changes to the Special Services Agreement with the Metropolitan Police Service for the provision of security on the Parliamentary estate, and changes to the governance of security in Parliament, including cyber security. • The financial plan for 2015/16 to 2017/18. • The decision-making arrangements in the new parliament for the Palace of Westminster Restoration and Renewal Programme. • Rules on the use of facilities by retired members, as well as the access and privileges available to members on leave of absence, former members and disqualified members. • The implications for the House of Lords of the House of Commons Governance Committee’s report,1 including the provision of shared services. In particular, the House Committee agreed to hold regular joint meetings with the House of Commons Commission, beginning in October 2015. The House Committee appoints the Audit Committee. The Audit Committee’s annual report is on page 38. Administration and Works Committee The Administration and Works Committee is appointed to consider administrative services, accommodation and works, including works relating to security, within the strategic framework and financial limits approved by the House Committee. The Chairman of Committees, Lord Sewel, chairs the Committee. During the year the Administration and Works Committee considered a range of matters, including: • Regular updates on major projects including fire safety improvement works, the refurbishment of the cast iron roofs and the encaustic tile programme, and health and safety. • Updated filming and photography rules, which regulate all filming and photography in the Lords and also cover sound recording, painting and sketching. • Changes to the printing and publishing of House documents. • The Millbank House Development project. • Parliamentary passes and escorting rights. • The operation of the new guest booking system at Peers’ Entrance and its potential future development. • Expansion of the annunciator system.

1 House of Commons Governance Committee, House of Commons Governance, HC 692 (session 2014-15): http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201415/cmselect/cmgovern/692/692.pdf House of Lords Annual Report | 2014/15 9

• The closure of the rifle range in order to provide a location for fire safety equipment and warning systems. • A proposal that the Royal Gallery (together with the Peers’ Dining Room, Cholmondeley Room and Terrace) could be used for a small number of commercial banqueting events, without a member acting as a sponsor. This was proposed by the Refreshment Committee and agreed by the House Committee. • The appointment of Chambers Travel Management to provide business travel services to Parliament from 1 September 2014. • The performance of Visitor Services, including the agreement of a new pricing structure. Refreshment Committee The Refreshment Committee is appointed to consider the refreshment services provided for the House, within the strategic framework and financial limits approved by the House Committee. The Chairman of Committees, Lord Sewel, chairs the Committee. During the year the Refreshment Committee considered a range of matters, including: • Regular updates on catering accounts. • New banqueting rules designed to better protect members when they sponsor events for third parties. • Regular progress reports on the Catering and Retail Services Change Programme. • Development of a catering account facility. • Retail developments, including the development of new product lines, retail agreements with the House of Commons and a retail strategy for the House of Lords Gift Shop. • Implementation of changes to the service provided in a number of Lords outlets, including the development of the Barry Room into a brasserie, the introduction of a buffet service in the Peers’ Dining Room on sitting evenings and the conversion of the Home Room to use for banqueting functions. The introduction of commercial dining in the Peers’ Dining Room during the dissolution period was also agreed. 10 House of Lords Annual Report | 2014/15

Information Committee The Information Committee is appointed to consider information and communications services, including ICT, the Library and Parliamentary Archives, within the strategic framework and financial limits approved by the House Committee. Baroness Donaghy succeeded Lord Kirkwood of Kirkhope as Chairman in June 2014. During the year the Information Committee considered a range of matters,1 including: • The migration of members’ email accounts to Office 365, Microsoft’s cloud-based service for email and Office applications. • The planned events for the 2015 Year of Parliament. • The Library’s annual report and its future strategy. • Progress on meeting the response targets for the ICT Service Desk, including the launch of an online digital support application. • Regular updates on the creation of the Parliamentary Digital Service and the recruitment and appointment of a Director of that Service. • The proposal to publish a tracked changes version of a bill online after it had been amended in Committee. • Plans to launch an improved Parliamentary video service. • The progress of the Archives Accommodation Programme. • Updates on the construction of an Education Centre (also considered by the House Committee). • A review of public engagement. • Proposals for the future provision of ICT services to members (also considered by the House Committee). • Endorsement of the Library’s development of the Current Affairs Digest application for members. Works of Art Committee The Works of Art Committee is appointed to administer the House of Lords Works of Art Collection Fund and consider matters relating to the works of art and the artistic heritage in the House of Lords, within the strategic framework and financial limits approved by the House Committee. Baroness Maddock succeeded Lord Luke as Chairman in June 2014.

1 Information Committee, Report on 2014–15, HL Paper 18 (1st report of session 2015–16): http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld201516/ldselect/ldinformation/18/18.pdf House of Lords Annual Report | 2014/15 11

During the year the Committee used the Collection Fund to acquire, commission and purchase works of art for the House’s permanent collection, including a portrait of Lord Carrington, as well as advising on matters such as the display and conservation of the works of art, decorative schemes and furniture. This included approving, with the House of Commons, an installation to commemorate women’s suffrage in St Stephen’s Hall and the restoration of Lord Grimthorpe’s experimental clock, which was bequeathed to the House and may have been used to develop his design for the mechanism for the clock in the Elizabeth Tower in the 1860s. Management Board The Board takes strategic and corporate decisions for the Administration within the policy framework set by the House Committee and: • Collectively provides leadership to the Administration in accordance with the House’s standards and values. • Prepares the Administration’s strategic plan, business plans, financial plans, annual estimates and annual report for approval by the House Committee. • Manages the Administration with the resources agreed by the House Committee. • Supports the Clerk of the Parliaments in the discharge of his functions as Accounting Officer and employer of the staff of the House. • Advises the House Committee and other domestic committees of the House on issues which fall within their terms of reference. • Assesses and manages risk, and maintains a transparent system of prudent and effective controls. • Monitors the Administration’s performance in achieving its objectives. • Encourages the process of change in order to enhance the Administration’s performance. David Beamish, the Clerk of the Parliaments, chairs the Board. The other members of the Board include the directors of key functions in the House of Lords as shown in the organisation chart (see page 6). The senior external member of the Audit Committee, Liz Hewitt, also attends meetings of the Board. The Board meets regularly during the year, usually once a month, and also meets jointly with the House of Commons Management Board twice a year. During the year the Management Board focused on the following strategic matters: • The establishment of the Parliamentary Digital Service. 12 House of Lords Annual Report | 2014/15

• Changes to the governance of parliamentary security, including cyber security and the Special Services Agreement with the Metropolitan Police Service, including restructuring the future provision of security on the Parliamentary estate. • The Restoration and Renewal of the Parliamentary estate. • The management of safety on the Parliamentary estate. • The adoption of a People Business Plan, including a pay and grading review. Administration In support of its strategic aim of enabling the House and its members to carry out their parliamentary functions effectively, the Administration employs approximately 500 staff across a number of departments and offices. The staff of the Administration are employed by the Clerk of the Parliaments, are not civil servants, serving the House rather than the executive, and are politically impartial. Further information about the Administration’s activities during the year is provided in the following sections of this report, broken down by the Administration’s strategic objectives as set out in the five-year Strategic Plan approved by the House Committee. House of Lords Annual Report | 2014/15 13

Implementation of the Business Plan

Strategic Objective: Effectiveness With impartiality, we will support and strengthen the House in performing its core functions of scrutinising and amending legislation, holding the executive to account and debating public policy.

Strategic Task: In a timely manner, we will provide Members with the support services and information they need to carry out their core parliamentary work. 14 House of Lords Annual Report | 2014/15

The 2014-15 session began on 4 June 2014 and ended on 30 March 2015, with the House sitting for a total of 121 days. On 26 September 2014 the House was recalled to consider the threat posed by Islamic State in Iraq.

Results of 2014 Members’ Survey In summer 2014, 320 members responded to the fourth Members’ Survey (a response rate of 41 per cent, which was an identical response rate to the last survey in 2012), which helped identify how members used and rated the services provided by the Administration. Among other findings the survey found that 72 per cent of respondents rated facilities and services as either ‘excellent’ (19 per cent) or ‘good’ (53 per cent). The equivalent results in 2012 found that 77 per cent of respondents rated facilities and services as either ‘excellent’ (18 per cent) or ‘good’ (58 per cent). Members suggested a number of areas for improvement which were used to develop the Administration’s services and facilities in consultation with the relevant domestic committees.

Membership Following the entry into force of the House of Lords Reform Act 2014 in August 2014, which allows members to retire permanently from the service of the House, 11 members decided to retire in the 2014-15 session. During the session the House agreed arrangements for the retirement of members, which included retirements being announced in the Chamber at the beginning of business, offering members the option of making a valedictory address, and some minor changes to Standing Orders and the Companion to the Standing Orders reflecting retired member privileges. Two further Acts were passed during the 2014-15 session which affected the membership of the House. The House of Lords (Expulsion and Suspension) Act 2015, which was introduced as a private member’s bill by Baroness Hayman, made provision for the House to expel or suspend members. Previously the House only had the power to suspend a member temporarily, limited to suspension for a period no longer than the duration of the Parliament within which the power was exercised. The Lords Spiritual (Women) Act 2015 enabled vacancies among Church of England bishops in the House of Lords to be filled, for a limited period, by female bishops instead of the longer-serving male bishops who would otherwise have become members of the House under the previous arrangements.

Legislation In the 2014-15 session, Parliament considered and passed a total of 36 bills. Significant Government bills considered in detail, and amended, in the Lords included those on Modern Slavery; Serious Crime; Counter-Terrorism and Security; Infrastructure; Small House of Lords Annual Report | 2014/15 15

Business, Enterprise and Employment; Wales; and Consumer Rights. Overall in the Lords, 3,449 amendments were tabled, of which 1,257 were agreed by the House – down from 4,790 and 1,685 respectively in 2013-14. The House also considered some high-profile private members’ bills (bills introduced by members who are not Government ministers), including those on Assisted Dying and Medical Innovation. A new system for introducing private members’ bills in the House came into effect, with the House deciding that a ballot would be held on the day of State Opening to determine the order in which private members’ bills would be introduced. To support the House’s legislative scrutiny work, in the 2014-15 session the Legislation Office prepared and published over 100 prints of bills and over 400 amendment papers; and provided around 375 written procedural briefs for Deputy Speakers and other Members engaged in the scrutiny and passing of bills. The Delegated Powers and Regulatory Reform Committee, which considers the powers proposed to be delegated to ministers in bills, published 19 reports, reporting on 16 government and five private members’ bills and four Legislative Reform Orders. It also published a special report on the quality of delegated powers memoranda and a post- legislative assessment of the Legislative and Regulatory Reform Act 2006. The Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee, which examines the policy merits of Statutory Instruments laid before the House, considered 1,153 Statutory Instruments, including five Public Bodies Orders. The Committee also issued special reports on Government consultation practice and the number of corrections to Statutory Instruments. Eighty-nine instruments were drawn to the special attention of the House in the session. Seventeen Statutory Instruments were reported on the new grounds of either insufficient information or inadequate consultation. Far fewer were reported on the ground that they might imperfectly achieve their objective than in the previous session. The Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments considered 2,167 Statutory Instruments and drew 89 to the special attention of the House. The Joint Committee also noted that, of the total, 47 instruments were identified as having derived from EU obligations.

Select Committees Select Committee activity remained high and continued to contribute to the House’s reputation as an effective second Chamber.1 Three ad hoc select committees were established in the 2014-15 session, all of which reported in February 2015. They considered Digital Skills and the UK economy; Affordable Childcare; and the Arctic. A post-legislative scrutiny committee on Extradition

1 Liaison Committee, Investigative Select Committees in the 2010-15 Parliament, HL Paper 5 (1st report of session 2015-16): http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld201516/ldselect/ldliaison/5/5.pdf 16 House of Lords Annual Report | 2014/15

Law was also appointed with the power to produce more than one report, which it used to produce a separate report on the Government’s decision to opt back in to the European Arrest Warrant. The largest single area of investigative activity remained scrutiny of the European Union.1 The EU Committee and its six sub-committees scrutinised nearly 150 EU legislative proposals and other significant documents and conducted a number of inquiries covering the full range of the EU’s competences. Notable activities included inquiries into EU- Russia relations, the ‘right to be forgotten’ and the civilian use of drones.

A number of major inquiries were conducted by other sessional committees. The Constitution Committee reported on five Government bills and conducted inquiries on proposals for the further devolution of power to Scotland, inter-governmental relations and the Office of the Lord Chancellor. The Committee also held one-off evidence sessions with the Lord Chancellor, the Deputy Prime Minister, the Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales and the Chairman of the House of Lords Appointments Commission. The Communications Committee’s report on social media and criminal offences resulted in changes being made to the Director of Public Prosecutions’ guidance in this area, and its inquiry on women in news and current affairs broadcasting elicited positive responses

1 European Union Committee, Report on 2014-15, HL Paper 11 (1st report of session 2015-16): http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld201516/ldselect/ldeucom/11/11.pdf House of Lords Annual Report | 2014/15 17

from broadcasters. The Committee also conducted a short inquiry into the current state of play with press regulation in the United Kingdom. The Economic Affairs Committee conducted an inquiry on the economic case for High Speed Two and held one-off evidence sessions with the Governor of the Bank of England and the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills; the latter session focused on foreign takeovers and the public interest. The Science and Technology Committee conducted an inquiry on the resilience of the electricity network and a short inquiry into the priorities for economic research; and followed up its report on nuclear Research & Development capabilities with an oral evidence session with the Chair of the Nuclear Innovation and Research Advisory Board. One pre-legislative joint committee was appointed to report on the Draft Protection of Charities Bill. The Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy published a report on the next National Security Strategy. The Joint Committee on Human Rights conducted legislative scrutiny on six bills and published reports on violence against women and girls and the United Kingdom’s compliance with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. In session 2013-14 a short questionnaire was issued, on a pilot basis, to members of that session’s ad hoc committees, seeking their views on the operation of their respective committees. As this provided useful feedback for the operation of ad hoc committees in the 2014-15 session this exercise was repeated at the end of that session. In July 2014 the Liaison Committee published, for the first time, a report on the activity of the House’s investigative select committees during the 2013-14 session.1

Reporting services (Hansard) The online publication of the 3,000th volume of Hansard (the Official Report) at the beginning of 2015 was marked by a number of occasions: a book containing some notable speeches from Hansard was prepared; a history of Hansard was produced in collaboration with the Library, and exhibitions were organised with the Library and the Parliamentary Archives.

Library services During 2014/15, 716 members used at least one of the Library’s services, well above the average daily attendance of 484. Feedback on the Library from members indicated that the level of satisfaction with the services provided remained high compared with the

1 Liaison Committee, Investigative Select Committees Activity in Session 2013-14, HL Paper 25 (1st report of session 2014-15): http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld201415/ldselect/ldliaisn/25/25.pdf 18 House of Lords Annual Report | 2014/15

previous period. There was a substantial increase in 2014/15 in the overall distribution of research products (21,303 compared to 10,757 in 2011/12), comprising research enquiries and the take-up of Library Notes and Briefing Packs. In Focus notes were launched to provide short, informative briefings on a selection of topical issues and subjects related to the work of the House. A Current Affairs Digest application was also launched, which provides members with briefing materials enriched by the inclusion of videos and images, and is accessible by tablet device, PC and smartphone. The Library continued to work closely with the House of Commons Library and the bicameral Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (POST) to enable co- operation and knowledge sharing. The Libraries also cooperated to develop a new software application to improve the publication and presentation of proactive briefings on the intranet and internet. In addition, the Lords Library has benefited from two Economic and Social Research Council funded PhD fellowships, facilitated by POST, with a third to commence during 2015/16. This has so far resulted in the publication of two Library Notes on opinion polling and the Scottish referendum, with a further statistical note on the work of the House planned. In support of frontline services, the Library has continued to review its collections, including the reference section, to ensure the needs of the House continue to be met. The Libraries of both Houses have worked closely together to minimise duplication of holdings, and to share online databases and subscriptions, achieving efficiencies and savings. Finally, the functionality of the catalogue has been enhanced, improving the number of search options available to users, and allowing access to lists of newly catalogued books and most popular items.

Business continuity Business resilience across Parliament, which is monitored and co-ordinated by the Business Resilience Group, was developed and strengthened during 2014/15. Parliament’s business resilience plans were accredited to the British Standard Business Continuity Management benchmark, following an external audit by the British Standards Institution; the Management Boards of the two Houses agreed a revised business resilience policy in December 2014; the Incident Management Framework was developed further, through training and a number of exercises; and the Relocation Contingencies Programme also continued to identify a number of scenarios, for which plans were developed. House of Lords Annual Report | 2014/15 19

Strategic Task: Exploit developments in ICT, information management and data systems to enable Members and staff to work in more flexible and cost-effective ways.

Business-related programmes and applications A new electronic system for handling answers to written parliamentary questions was introduced in October 2014, which allows members of both Houses to receive answers to written questions in electronic format as soon as they have been approved by a minister. It also provides an improved website for sorting, filtering and reading answers to written questions and for keeping the up-to-date authoritative and corrected set of written answers. A pilot, which allows for the electronic recording of divisions in the House on tablet devices, took place in autumn 2014 and the new system went live at the start of the new Parliament. The electronic system will increase the speed of announcing results of divisions and subsequently publishing details online. A similar system for capturing attendances electronically will soon follow. The House of Lords Business document is now available as an iPad application. The application contains all the information currently found in the printed House of Lords Business, as well as useful links to resources relevant to the next day’s business such as bill documents, committee reports and library notes. Members can also access further details of questions for written answer, bills in progress and select committee meetings via the application. New editions of House of Lords Business are made available to the app overnight after each sitting day. The application is free to download from the iTunes store. In addition a House Papers application is available for iPad and Android that puts all the key business documents for one day’s sitting in a single location. Documents are uploaded to the application throughout the day, as they become available, so it should always be up to date. Material is arranged by sitting day and is uploaded up to two weeks in advance, depending on availability. Individual documents can also be downloaded for offline reading. The application is free to download on iPad or any Android device. A new open data platform was launched and developed at www.data.parliament.uk during 2014/15. This website is constantly growing and makes available data sets for the public and interested parties to reuse. The open data initiative will also help offices share and reuse internal data. In December 2014 the Clerk of the Parliaments and the Clerk of the House of Commons approved a revised Information and Records Management Policy. The scope of the policy has been widened to cover recorded information, including data, digital publications, and audiovisual material, taking account of major business changes across the two Houses. 20 House of Lords Annual Report | 2014/15

Digital services Rob Greig, formerly the Chief Technology Officer at the Royal Opera House, joined Parliament in March 2015 as the Director of the new Parliamentary Digital Service (PDS), which came into being on 1 April. Rob will lead the formation of PDS in 2015/16, which brings together the management of all online and ICT services into a single department that is publicly accountable for delivering measurably rising levels of satisfaction with Parliament’s digital services from members, staff and the public. This will include the development and implementation of a digital strategy to be agreed by both Houses. Preparation for the establishment of PDS saw a high degree of collaboration and partnership working across Parliament, including a more integrated approach to corporate planning, which will continue during 2015/16.

ICT Strategy 2014/15 saw the continued delivery of ICT services to both Houses with reduced resources, more users and growing expectations. The ICT Strategy was concluded, which saw the introduction of Cloud First; the partial rollout of Office 365 to members; the adoption of a policy for the use of mobile devices, setting out staff responsibilities when using a mobile device (either their own or one provided by Parliament) to access parliamentary information; the launch of Digital Support Online to provide a quicker, easier and more convenient way for staff and members to obtain IT support; and running a ‘Good Digital Citizen’ campaign to raise awareness of safe online working.

Broadcasting An improved Parliamentary Video Service (www.parliamentlive.tv/lords) was launched in December 2014, providing coverage of all House of Lords proceedings from the Chamber and committees. Live video and on-demand archive recordings of chamber and committee proceedings (held in public) are now available on PCs and tablet devices, as well as through the annunciator service. A log of contributions by members in the Chamber allows for improved searching of the video coverage and it will be possible to share specific contributions by members using social media. House of Lords Annual Report | 2014/15 21

Strategic Task: Propose and advise on improvements to the procedures and working practices of the House so as to strengthen its scrutiny of the executive and of legislation.

Printing and publishing The House’s contract with TSO will expire at the end of March 2016 and it is planned that the House will print and e-publish most of its own documents at that point. This will enable the House to have greater control over its own outputs while also delivering significant savings. In March 2015 the Administration and Works Committee agreed a number of changes to the House’s long-term printing and publishing arrangements regarding documents produced by the House and its committees. Paper copies of Lords documents will continue to be made available to members through the Printed Paper Office, with an in-house reprographics unit established to publish House documents. The facility for members to receive House documents, other than Hansard, at external addresses has been discontinued. The external sale of paper copies of House documents will be discontinued on the expiry of the present contract due to the very limited market demand for these, and the emphasis will be placed on improving the quality of electronic publications for third parties through better online presentation and delivery, such as by the new House of Lords Business application for iPads.

Strategic Objective: Efficiency We will make efficient use of human, physical and financial resources. Strategic Task: Make flexible use of resources to meet the House’s changing priorities.

Security A review of security governance resulted in changes to the management of security across Parliament, which were agreed by the House of Commons Commission and the House Committee in November 2014. These changes include bringing the Metropolitan Police Service’s (MPS) civilian security officer function in-house to become parliamentary staff; the MPS will continue to be responsible for their core functions of armed and unarmed policing. Additionally, responsibility for every aspect of security will lie with the Parliamentary Security Director. Implementing these decisions will require significant changes in security arrangements across Parliament, which will be implemented during the course of 2015/16. The planned transfer of the MPS security staff to Parliament in 2016 can take place only when the new security department is in place and functioning effectively. For the time being, existing arrangements continue unchanged. 22 House of Lords Annual Report | 2014/15

The current contract with the MPS has been extended by one year to ensure that there is no reduction in the security of Parliament arising from the changes and that the current high standards of effectiveness are maintained. During 2014/15 security and access policies and guidance were introduced or revised to tighten up existing security measures. There was one significant security breach during 2014/15, which saw an intruder access the roof, and necessary remedial actions were implemented. Strategic Task: Recruit and retain good staff and make best use of pay and reward to that end.

Results of 2014 Staff Survey A Staff Survey took place in March 2014, which was conducted by BMG Research. A total of 333 responses were received, out of a total potential of 587, giving an overall response rate of 57 per cent. The response rate dropped 3 per cent compared with the 2012 staff survey, and 6 per cent compared with the 2010 survey. The four areas rated most positively were: how well the Administration performed in achieving its value ‘Respect for the constitutional importance and dignity of Parliament’ (93 per cent); how well offices dealt with health and safety (93 per cent); how well informed staff felt about the activities of their team (91 per cent); and how clear staff were about what was expected of them in their job (90 per cent). In 2014 job satisfaction fell 5 per cent from the 2012 staff survey to 68 per cent; however, the result was in line with BMG Research’s benchmark from 80 other public sector organisations. Offices were invited to discuss the findings and consider any actions that were necessary. The major themes from the Staff Survey were also responded to in the People Business Plan (as below).

People Business Plan & Pay and Grading Review A number of developments helped to update and improve the Administration’s employment practices in 2014/15. A People Business Plan was agreed, which had its roots in contributions from and views of staff across the Administration and also responded to the major themes from the 2014 Staff Survey, concerning pay and career development. Key work under the Plan includes a review of pay and grading arrangements, which is ongoing. A review of access to procedural experience and training also took place. The House of Lords Staff Pension Scheme was merged with the Civil Service Pension arrangements with effect from 1 April 2015, following the House of Commons’ pension scheme’s merger with Civil Service arrangements, which took effect from 1 April 2014. The merger will simplify pensions administration for the Administration, and will make it easier for staff to move into posts across Parliament or in the Civil Service. House of Lords Annual Report | 2014/15 23

Other developments The Administration adopted an online recruitment tool in November 2014. A new staff handbook, which was comprehensively restructured and rewritten in plain English, was published in the autumn of 2014. A management development programme was also introduced for staff, which proved to be very popular, and will be continued and built upon in 2015/16. Strategic Task: Adhere to the savings target of not increasing the resource budget in real terms (compared with 2010/11), subject to the need to maintain the ability of the House and its Members to carry out their parliamentary functions in changing circumstances, including increased attendance.

Delivering savings and financial planning All of the Administration’s work was undertaken against a background of continuing financial constraints. Since the House Committee agreed a savings target for the Administration in 2010, for the period 2011/12 to 2014/15, the House has made a real- terms saving of 15 per cent in the resource budget. This is a significant achievement given the increased and active membership of the House. The House Committee agreed the financial plan for 2015/16 to 2017/18, which included provision for additional funding for changing circumstances including increased membership and attendance, and contingency for member-focused ICT services/support. In November 2014 the Management Board agreed jointly with the House of Commons Management Board a Medium-Term Investment Plan (MTIP) for expenditure on ICT and Estates projects, covering the financial years 2015/16 to 2018/19. This is the fourth MTIP agreed by the two Boards and is intended to improve joint planning of investment in Parliament’s infrastructure and service improvement.

Catering and Retail The two-year CRS Change Programme “to create a step change in food quality and service by empowering individuals in order to provide better value for money for both the member and tax payer”, which was due to conclude at the end of 2014/15, was extended until the end of 2015/16. With the agreement of the Refreshment Committee, this included implementing changes to a number of Lords outlets, including the conversion of the Home Room into use for banqueting functions and the Barry Room into a brasserie service, as well as the introduction of a buffet service in the Peers’ Dining Room on sitting evenings. It was also agreed that the introduction of commercial dining in the Peers’ Dining Room would be trialled during the Dissolution period. The latter option proved extremely popular with the public. 24 House of Lords Annual Report | 2014/15

A retail agreement with the House of Commons continued, which allowed Lords products to be sold in the retail outlet in Westminster Hall. Access was improved to the Lords gift shop and a number of new products became available in October 2014. A trial has also begun to allow the public to buy House of Lords gifts online via www.shop.parliament.uk, through CRS working in partnership with the Parliament Shop, and this service will be monitored and developed further during 2015/16. A retail strategy for the House of Lords gift shop was also agreed by the Refreshment Committee. Strategic Task: Continuously seek to improve value for money and to identify inefficiencies and waste.

Continuous Improvement A bicameral Continuous Improvement (CI) initiative was launched in 2014/15, which aims to introduce an approach of continuously reviewing the way in which Parliament conducts its day-to-day work, eliminating waste, and ensuring the Administration works in the most efficient and effective way possible. This included training 160 staff – known as CI Practitioners – across both Houses, equipping them with the tools and techniques to analyse and improve processes. In the Lords, staff were involved in improving processes in the Finance Department, the Library and Property and Office Services, among other areas. The Management Boards of both Houses endorsed an approach of encouraging further CI activity during 2015/16 and offices in the Lords were encouraged to look for CI opportunities during the business planning round. House of Lords Annual Report | 2014/15 25

Strategic Objective: Restoration, Renewal and Stewardship We will deliver a bicameral policy for restoring and renewing the Palace of Westminster. Strategic Task: Give priority to works projects which ensure fire safety, mitigate the worst mechanical and electrical risks, and restore the Cast Iron Roofs.

Works projects to mitigate risks The cast iron roof replacement work on the south return of the Palace was completed. This work formed part of Project 1, Phase 2 of the roof refurbishment programme, which is running to time and budget. The works programme to modernise the Palace of Westminster’s mechanical and electrical services entered its fifth year and fire safety improvement works are also ongoing. The Administration and Works Committee agreed to the closure of the parliamentary rifle range in order to provide a location for fire safety equipment and warning systems.

Stewardship The six-year encaustic tile conservation programme continued with a new phase of work in the Royal Gallery, with damaged or worn tiles replaced and those which were in a salvageable condition relaid. The work, which is still ongoing, took place at the same time as refurbishment and restoration work in the adjacent Queen’s Robing Room. The final phase of a conservation project in Westminster Hall that included cleaning and repairing the stonework was completed at the end of 2014. Works in Black Rod’s Garden yielded a number of archaeological finds, including a Tudor river-wall and some mediaeval Westminster floor tiles, which inspired the Pugin-designed encaustic tiles in the Palace of Westminster. These finds were subsequently investigated and catalogued by Museum of London archaeologists. 26 House of Lords Annual Report | 2014/15

Strategic Task: With the House of Commons, commission an independent options appraisal for restoration and renewal of the Palace of Westminster and follow through any recommendations as required.

Restoration and renewal The Independent Options Appraisal (IOA) for the Palace of Westminster Restoration and Renewal Programme was published on 18 June 2015.1 The report was commissioned in 2013 following the publication of a study in 2012 which showed that, unless significant restoration work is undertaken, major, irreversible damage may be done to the Palace. In October 2012, the House of Commons Commission and the House Committee agreed that doing nothing was not an option. The IOA sets out a range of scenarios, with costs, timescales, risks and benefits of carrying out a major restoration and renewal of the Palace. The report has been produced by independent experts (a consortium led by Deloitte Real Estate) and is intended to enable Parliament to make an informed decision in principle on a preferred way forward for the restoration and renewal in 2015/16. It is intended that a Joint Committee will be established to consider the findings of the IOA. Strategic Task: Implement a programme of extending and renovating office space for members.

Accommodation strategy Work continued on the revision of the House of Lords Accommodation Strategy. At the same time the Administration worked with colleagues in the House of Commons Service to develop a clearer picture of decant requirements relating to restoration projects.

Renewal and extension of office accommodation The Administration took vacant possession of premises at 5 Great College Street after a tenancy with a third party came to an end in early 2015. The site is in need of repair and refurbishment and will be reconfigured to make the most efficient use of space for the House as part of the Millbank House Development project. Once completed, this space will initially be used for office decant space for members and staff to enable current and future building work to continue, including cast iron roof refurbishment, and the fire safety and mechanical and electrical works in the Palace and Fielden House. It could also subsequently provide decant accommodation for the purposes of Restoration and Renewal. In the meantime work continued on the refurbishment of Old Palace Yard.

1 http://www.restorationandrenewal.parliament.uk/ House of Lords Annual Report | 2014/15 27

Strategic Task: Decide on options for future location of Archives collection and services.

Parliamentary Archives The Parliamentary Archives received 6,248 enquiries during 2014/15, a modest increase from 5,923 enquiries received in 2013/14. 1,037 researchers also visited the public Search Room during the same period, which was a significant increase from 608 in 2013/14 when the lift was closed for refurbishment. A key project successfully completed in 2015 was the development of a map-based web interface to archival records. This is a prototype service which allows users to search for records in the Archives online catalogue by place. There is currently one set of records available to search via the map interface, the Protestation Returns, which are analogous to census records from 1642. This resource will be enhanced by the addition of digitised images of the Returns for users to view during 2015/16. The Archives Accommodation Programme was established in September 2014 to consider whether the Parliamentary Archives and its services should be relocated from its current home in Victoria Tower in the Palace of Westminster to an alternative site. The Archives Accommodation Programme is not part of the Restoration and Renewal Programme but it is running in parallel to it, and interdependencies are being closely managed. No decision has yet been taken on a new location for the Archives. During the year a range of options have been explored, including relocating temporarily, moving elsewhere in London or outside London. By spring 2016 a business case with one recommended option, costed and designed, is expected to be put forward for approval. Strategic Task: In the context of restoration and renewal, develop collections care and management programmes which balance preservation and public access goals.

Collections care and preservation Since 2008, the Parliamentary Archives has been leading a project to provide a state-of- the-art digital repository, together with associated preservation services, processes and standards. The project concluded in March 2015 when the final phase of development was completed. Parliament’s digital repository is fully operational, and the Archives has now ingested over 14 Terabytes of priority digital records, including content produced by digitisation programmes and snapshots of the Parliamentary web estate. The consolidation of these enhancements will enable the Archives to preserve a wider range of digital records and to manage them more effectively. 28 House of Lords Annual Report | 2014/15

Strategic Objective: Engagement We will communicate and foster public engagement with the work of the House as an effective second Chamber at home and abroad. Strategic Task: Use online channels to promote a recognisable corporate image for the House of Lords and to explain its work.

Online communications The Lords corporate Twitter and YouTube channels continued to see significant growth in their audience figures during 2014/15. The number of Twitter followers increased from 36,900 to 93,367 during the financial year, and the number of YouTube views increased from 5,876 to 17,570 during the same period. Strategic Task: Develop effective interactions between members of the House and the public.

Press and publications The 2014-15 session saw significant media interest in the work of the House’s select committees. Proactive media engagement by the press and media team on behalf of those committees led to 839 positive articles about their work across national and regional print and broadcast media. The communication strategies for select committees encompassed the full range of communication channels including online and social media. To increase engagement opportunities the usability of committee webpages was improved and the EU Committee also launched the first dedicated Twitter account for a Lords sessional committee. A video filmed on location at Euston Station to explain the Economic Affairs Committee report on High Speed Two was also viewed more than 5,000 times within a day of the report’s publication and was linked to by the BBC in its online coverage of the report. The press and media team also continued to lead on communications surrounding the Restoration and Renewal Programme and focused on raising awareness of the challenges of looking after the Palace as a key part of Westminster World Heritage Site as well as a busy working building. House of Lords Annual Report | 2014/15 29

A new version of the weekly What’s on in the Lords newsletter was launched to keep readers better informed about the latest legislation, debates and committee inquiries taking place in the House.1 Strategic Task: Explain the work of the House in its own voice through targeted outreach and educational programmes.

State Opening of Parliament As in previous years, the Administration led on the organisation of the State Opening of Parliament, which took place on 4 June 2014. This marked the formal start of the parliamentary year, with the Queen’s Speech setting out the government’s agenda for the 2014-15 session. This event, which sees Black Rod playing a prominent ceremonial role, receives significant UK and international media coverage.

Outreach The Peers in Schools programme continued to develop. Led by the Lord Speaker, the programme involves sending members into schools to talk about the House of Lords and its work. 180 members have participated in just under 1,500 school visits across the UK since the programme’s inception in 2007, including 156 visits in 2014/15. The programme has reached approximately 75,000 students in total. State schools are prioritised. The Universities programme continued to engage with the higher education sector in a number of ways but most visibly in the form of the Parliamentary Studies module, the only module formally approved and co-taught by staff from the Houses of Parliament. Currently taught at 13 UK universities, the module will be extended to 20 UK universities by September 2015. Strategic Task: Take advantage of commemorative events to enhance public understanding of the work of the House.

Constitutional and parliamentary history 2015: Parliament in the Making, a year-long programme of UK-wide activities began in January, to commemorate significant anniversaries of historic events that underpinned the establishment of Parliamentary democracy and the legal system in the UK and around the world. The anniversaries which have been commemorated so far include 800 years since the sealing of Magna Carta (15 June 1215), which established the principle of the rule of law, and 750 years since the de Montfort Parliament (20 January 1265), which was a key milestone in the development of parliamentary democracy.

1 http://lords-subscriptions.parliament.uk/ 30 House of Lords Annual Report | 2014/15

For the 800th anniversary of Magna Carta the four surviving 1215 Magna Carta originals – which were loaned from the British Library, Lincoln Cathedral and Salisbury Cathedral – were brought together and displayed for the first time in the Queen’s Robing Room in the House of Lords on 5 February 2015. Elements of the exhibition then went on display at regional venues during 2015 as part of the Parliamentary Archives’ De Montfort outreach project, which involved schools and community groups. The Petition of Right (1628) and the Bill of Rights (1689) were loaned to the British Library for its Magna Carta: Law, Liberty, Legacy exhibition, which will run until 1 September 2015. For the 750th anniversary of the De Montfort Parliament a BBC production, Democracy Day, which looking at democracy, past and present and encouraging a debate about its future, was produced in collaboration with the House of Commons and was broadcast across the BBC from both inside Westminster and the BBC Radio Theatre. This included an interview with the Lord Speaker as the main guest on Woman’s Hour. A number of commemorative events took place to mark the centenary of the outbreak of World War I. On 9 July 2014 the Parliament Choir and the choir of the Bundestag (the lower house of the German Parliament) sang together in Westminster Hall. The event also served as a platform for speeches by the President of the Bundestag and the House of Lords Annual Report | 2014/15 31

Lord Speaker to mark the close relations between the two parliaments and countries, while meetings took place between UK and German parliamentary delegations. The Parliamentary Archives also tweeted the unfolding narrative of the War’s impact in Parliament by using Hansard and other Parliamentary records (through their account @ParliamentWW1), including the Remembrance Books and memorials, which contain the names of members, their children and staff who fell in the conflict.

Exhibitions The Parliamentary Archives loaned the Longitude Act of 1714 to an exhibition at the National Maritime Museum at Greenwich called Ships, Clocks and Stars: the Quest for Longitude, which marked the 300th anniversary of the passing of the Act on 9 July 1714. It was the first time the Act had been on public display. The Archives also mounted displays in the Royal Gallery and Norman Porch marking the 300th anniversary of the Hanoverian succession and the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of the First World War. Two specific events also promoted the Library’s collections. During Heritage week, the Library’s collection of James Gillray cartoons were displayed, and to mark National Libraries Day, the Library’s 1587 copy of the Magna Carta was the focus of an event which included speeches by Lord Judge and David Pearson.

Other events The first in a new series of lectures, sponsored by the Lord Speaker – The Case for Aid: A Conversation with Bill Gates – took place in the Queen’s Robing Room in November 2014, concentrating on the impact of UK aid and the work of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Members of both Houses attended the lecture. 32 House of Lords Annual Report | 2014/15

Later that month, the annual Chamber Event, which is jointly organised by the House of Lords with the English Speaking Union, took place. It saw 190 people from the third sector, higher education and schools, from across the UK, assembled on the red benches of the Chamber to debate the motion: Parliament 2.0: In a digital society, is politics for politicians or is everyone a decision maker? The event was chaired by the Lord Speaker and was broadcast on BBC Parliament. House of Lords Annual Report | 2014/15 33

Strategic Objective: Partnership We will play a full part in the functioning of the United Kingdom Parliament as a whole. Strategic Task: Work jointly with the House of Commons Service, and where possible amalgamate, when doing so improves services or provides value for money and does not compromise our objectives or the House of Lords’ voice.

Joint working with the House of Commons On 1 April 2014 the Parliamentary Procurement and Commercial Service (PPCS) was launched, which provides a service for both Houses and the Parliamentary Digital Service, and is hosted by the House of Lords. During 2014/15 PPCS developed new bicameral procurement and contract management rules for Parliament which were agreed by both Management Boards. Following a review both Management Boards agreed in June 2014 a new set of cost- sharing ratios for services, contracts and programmes shared (or joint) between the two Houses. The new system is much simpler and the changes were implemented with effect from 1 April 2015. They include a net transfer of costs from the Commons to the Lords and an increase in the House’s stake in digital services. The desire to explore the potential for more joint working was expressed by the House of Commons Governance Committee which reported in December 2014. As a result, the House Committee and Commission agreed to hold regular joint meetings and also commissioned a bicameral review to review the operation of, and further opportunities for, joint working between the two Houses. Much of the House’s work is already conducted jointly or in close partnership with the House of Commons, as this report demonstrates. The creation of the new Parliamentary Digital Service on 1 April 2015, the work on establishing new arrangements for the governance and management of security across the Parliamentary estate, and business resilience work (which is bicameral but led by Black Rod) are examples of other areas where members and senior officials are working closely with their counterparts in the House of Commons. The next financial year will also see both Houses taking major joint decisions on the restoration and renewal of the Palace of Westminster. A more detailed overview of the House’s governance arrangements, including the changes agreed during 2014/15, is available in the Governance Statement which forms part of the House of Lords Resource Accounts 2014/15. 34 House of Lords Annual Report | 2014/15

Strategic Task: Engage and exchange best practice with other Parliaments and Assemblies

Inter-parliamentary assemblies and meetings The House supported the organisation of the Parliamentary pre-NATO Summit Conference – Approaching the Summit 2014 – held at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London in September 2014. The conference offered parliamentarians from NATO member countries an opportunity to engage with key decision-makers in the week of the 2014 NATO Summit in Newport, Wales. The House also actively participated in the organisation of the annual meeting of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly Standing Committee, jointly with the House of Commons, in March 2015. This saw 80 delegates participating in the Standing Committee meeting in the Royal Gallery. The House continued to participate at overseas meetings of Speakers of parliamentary chambers. The Lord Speaker represented the House at the Ninth Meeting of Women Speakers of the Inter-Parliamentary Union held in Geneva in September 2014 and at the Council of Europe Speakers’ Conference later that month in Oslo. At the invitation of the presidents of the national parliaments of Japan and Taiwan the Lord Speaker made a bilateral visit to both countries in autumn 2014, including a brief visit to the Hong Kong Legislative Council. In all three countries she held talks with her counterparts, members of parliament and representatives of civil society and academia. In February 2015, at the request of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) UK Branch, the Lord Speaker led a joint delegation of peers and MPs to India, which was combined with a visit to Bangladesh, also on CPA-related business. At home the Lord Speaker received a number of visiting speakers and presidents of parliaments including speakers from Australia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Germany, Bangladesh, Serbia, Lithuania and Canada. She also welcomed the Premier of China, the Emir of Qatar and the President and Prime Minister of Afghanistan. During the year 38 programmes of varying duration were arranged for foreign dignitaries, speakers, members and officials on attachment from overseas legislatures. These included members of parliament from Germany, Serbia, Japan, Australia and Canada. Visits were also arranged for various parliamentary committees, including the Mandate and Community Committee of the House of Representatives of the Czech Republic, the Committee on Delegated Legislation of the National Assembly of Kenya and the Standing Committee on Transport and Communications of the Canadian Senate. Visits from parliamentary officials included those from the parliaments of Kenya, Japan, Hong Kong, Brazil, Kuwait, France, Namibia, New Zealand, Hungary and Gibraltar. House of Lords Annual Report | 2014/15 35

The House facilitated participation by members in a representative capacity at a number of international meetings of parliamentarians. These focused on issues such as security (Parliamentary Intelligence Briefing Forum held in Washington DC), the environment (11th Conference of Parliamentarians of the Arctic Region) and the rule of law (Consultative Assembly of Parliamentarians for the International Criminal Court and the Rule of Law in Rabat). In all, arrangements were made for 16 members and officials of this House to attend meetings overseas in a representative capacity.

Parliamentary strengthening The House continued to facilitate the delivery of EU Twinning Projects, with seven members of the House of Lords staff involved in a capacity building project on “Enhancing the role of parliaments in Bosnia and Herzegovina in the EU integration context”. These projects are led by the Hungarian Parliament and include officials from the Danish Parliament and the French National Assembly as well as the House of Lords. The House has agreed to support a further bid by the Hungarian Parliament to conduct another round of parliamentary strengthening activities for the Parliament of Kosovo.

Visits by Heads of State On 8 April 2014, Michael D. Higgins, the President of Ireland, addressed members of both Houses in the Royal Gallery, the first Irish head of state to do so. On 21 October, Dr Tony Tan Keng Yam, the President of the Republic of Singapore, addressed members of both Houses in the Queen’s Robing Room. Señor Enrique Peña Nieto, the President of the United Mexican States, during his State Visit, also addressed members of both Houses in the Queen’s Robing Room on 3 March 2015. 36 House of Lords Annual Report | 2014/15

Expenditure Net resource provision for the House of Lords was £100,432,000 in 2014/15. This included members’ expenses and allowances, staff salaries and pensions, administration costs, and the Lords’ share of works, accommodation and security costs for the Parliamentary estate. Net operating costs totalled £94,441,000. Capital works services and other capital provision in 2014/15 was £18,442,000 and expenditure was £14,993,000. The net resource provision for 2015/16 was set by the House Committee at £102,954,000. Capital works services and other capital provision was set at £27,602,000. Full details of the House of Lords’ expenditure are published in the House of Lords Resource Accounts 2014/15. Summary information is provided below. Table 1 shows the expenditure by type and Table 2 details the expenditure in line with the Management Board functions as listed in the governance structure in the House of Lords Business Plan 2014/15.1

Table 1: Expenditure by type 2014-15 2013-14 £000 £000

Staff costs2 26,073 24,619

Members’ allowances and expenses 20,707 21,613

Estates and works expenditure 19,541 16,141

Security 9,856 10,001

Printing and publications 2,016 2,186

IT and telecommunication costs 3,957 4,047

Grants 1,439 1,453

Rentals under operating leases 266 653

Other expenditure 6,627 7,015

Non cash costs3 10,952 12,193

Income (6,993) (6,862)

Net Operating Cost 94,441 93,059

Source: House of Lords Resource Accounts 2014/15, notes 3-5.

1 HL Paper 150 (session 2014-15): http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld201516/ldselect/ldbusplan/150/150.pdf 2 Includes social security and pension costs. 3 Non-cash costs include amortisation, depreciation, etc. The difference between these figures is attributable to a change in the value of the House of Lords’ share of the Parliamentary estate. House of Lords Annual Report | 2014/15 37

Table 2: Expenditure by function 2014-15 2013-14 £000 £000

Clerk of the Parliaments’ Office 2,583 2,470

Parliamentary Services 9,363 9,084

Corporate Services 1,608 1,578

Support Services1 27,223 25,720

Information Services 6,737 6,741

Financial Resources2 22,072 22,985

Security 10,701 11,187

Information and Communications Technology 6,433 6,579

Human Resources and superannuation3 (165) (127)

Centrally held funds 7,886 6,842

Total 94,441 93,059

Source: House of Lords Resource Accounts 2014/15, note 2.

1 Support services includes one-off non-cash costs attributable to changes in the value of the House of Lords’ share of the Parliamentary estate. 2 Includes the costs of members’ allowances and expenses. 3 The figures include pension income and transfer values received by the House of Lords. 38 House of Lords Annual Report | 2014/15

Audit Committee Annual Repor t 2014/15 Introduction 1. At the end of 2014 Baroness Noakes and Lord Sharman left the Committee. Ian Luder also completed his time as an external member. We would like to put on record our thanks to them for their valuable work as members during the last Parliament. They were replaced by Lord Fink, Lord Shutt of Greetland and John Beckerleg, a new external member, in January 2015. I will stand down as Chairman of the Committee after the July 2015 meeting and will be replaced by Baroness Cohen of Pimlico. 2. Liz Hewitt, as the longer-serving external member, started attending Management Board meetings as an observer in June 2014, replacing Ian Luder in this role when he stood down at the end of 2014. This arrangement has strengthened the link between the Committee and the Board and we hope that this will continue to develop. 3. The Committee met six times during 2014/15, including two joint meetings with the House of Commons Administration Estimate Audit Committee. Private meetings were held with the Clerk of the Parliaments in January 2015 and with the National Audit Office in March 2015, without other officials present. 4. Agendas and unreserved papers are published on the Committee webpages1 following each meeting and minutes are published after they have been agreed by the Committee by correspondence shortly after each meeting. Attendance at the Audit Committee in 2014/15 was as follows:2

1 http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/other-committees/house-of-lords-audit/ 2 During 2014/15 the external members were remunerated as follows (excluding VAT) – Ian Luder £9,625, Liz Hewitt £10,500 and John Beckerleg £2,625. Ian Luder attended the Management Board from September 2012 until December 2014 and Liz Hewitt began attending from June 2014. This is reflected in the remuneration disclosed. House of Lords Annual Report | 2014/15 39

Member Party/Group Meetings attended Notes / total possible

Lord Turnbull Crossbench 6/6

Lord Carter of Coles Labour 4/6

Baroness Cohen of Pimlico Labour 6/6

Lord Fink Conservative 3/3 Joined Committee in January 2015

Baroness Noakes Conservative 1/3 Left Committee in December 2014

Lord Sharman Liberal Democrat 2/3 Left Committee in December 2014

Lord Shutt of Greetland Liberal Democrat 2/3 Joined Committee in January 2015

John Beckerleg External member 3/3 Joined Committee in January 2015

Liz Hewitt External member 5/6

Ian Luder External member 3/3 Left Committee in December 2014

5. Alongside the ongoing “business as usual” work of the Committee in maintaining oversight of risk, audit, governance and financial management, there were a number of areas where we have taken a particular interest. These are set out in more detail below, broken down by headings drawn from the Committee’s terms of reference, which are reproduced at the end of this report. Internal audit work programme At the beginning of the financial year the Committee endorsed the internal audit programme for 2014/15. During the year, the Committee received internal audit reports or management letters on: • Staff Disciplinary Arrangements • Royal Mail Services • Fire Safety Programme 40 House of Lords Annual Report | 2014/15

• Financial Support to Members 2013/14 • Mobile Devices • Budgetary Control • Absence Reporting Arrangements • Overtime and Night Duty Allowances • Miscellaneous Funds • Use of Consultants • Risk Management Arrangements within the House of Lords Administration • PICT Network Capacity Management • Staff Performance Management 6. The Committee considered nine reports and management letters concerning joint services prepared by the House of Commons internal audit service: • Cast Iron Roofs Programme • Restoration and Renewal – Design Team Procurement • Parliamentary Website • Business Case Compliance • System of Accounting for Shared Services • Cleaning Contract Management • Safety Risk Management – Process Design and Implementation • PICT Contracts • Cyber Security 7. The Committee also received a number of follow-up reports to previous audit reviews in order to gain assurance that actions set out in management responses had been undertaken. Management responses continue to be positive with the great majority of recommendations accepted and subsequently taken forward. The Committee has maintained its focus on those actions which have remained outstanding beyond the agreed implementation date. The Committee receives a six-monthly update on this subject and is pleased to note that the number of such items has remained low throughout the year. 8. We will continue to receive internal audit reports as set out in the programme of work for 2015/16 agreed by the Committee in March 2015. Significant planned audits include: • Recruitment procedures House of Lords Annual Report | 2014/15 41

• Parliamentary Procurement Function • Registration of Members’ Interests • Catering and Retail Services – Banqueting • Data Protection and FOI arrangements • Information Security • Security Arrangements Renewal Programme • The Fire Safety Team • Restoration and Renewal • Parliamentary Digital Service 9. We would like to thank the internal audit service for their efforts during the year. We would also like to thank the National Audit Office for their work as the House’s external auditors and their support for the work of the Committee. Risk Management Framework 10. The Internal Audit service carried out a review of the Administration’s risk management arrangements at the end of 2014. The report provided moderate assurance on the strength of current governance arrangements and made several recommendations for change. The Committee considered the Internal Audit review, alongside the review of corporate risks (see below), in March 2015 and was pleased to note that the management response was positive. 11. Following a review of the Administration’s corporate risks during 2014/15, the Management Board agreed a number of changes to the corporate risks, which took effect at the beginning of 2015/16. These changes were noted by the Audit Committee in March 2015. The changes are summarised below: • The ICT, Finance and Information risks were formally delegated by the Board to the Director of the Parliamentary Digital Service, the Finance Director and the Reading Clerk (in his capacity as the Senior Information Risk Owner), respectively. These postholders will be responsible for managing these delegated corporate risks across the Administration, including responsibility for bringing them to the notice of the Board if considered necessary. • The Facilities risk was reconstituted as a ‘Buildings & Facilities risk’, including significant forthcoming developments such as Restoration and Renewal of the Palace of Westminster and the Millbank House Development. 42 House of Lords Annual Report | 2014/15

• The creation of a new Governance risk, defined as ‘Failure to maintain effective governance arrangements between the Administration and members’, which is owned by the Clerk of the Parliaments. 12. The changes resulted in the reduction of the Board’s total number of corporate risks from eight to six, which are considered to focus on the most significant risks to the Administration’s core strategic aim of enabling the House and its members to carry out their parliamentary functions effectively. The six corporate risks are: (1) Governance (2) Security (3) Buildings & Facilities (4) Staff (5) Reputation (6) Relations with the House of Commons 13. In addition to the above changes, the Committee continued to monitor the Administration’s existing corporate risks. The Committee received and considered the Administration’s corporate risk register at each of its regular meetings in 2014/15. The Committee focused in particular on the mitigating actions the Administration had in place, or intended to put in place, in relation to “red” risks which had been identified. The Committee focused on the Facilities risk which had been identified as a red risk due to concerns about the management of safety on the Parliamentary estate, principally by contractors. The Committee was pleased to note the emphasis that the Clerk of the Parliaments placed on the importance of safety and that the Board had agreed to treat the mitigation of this risk as a priority. We intend to keep this risk, and other red risks which might emerge in the next year, under close consideration during 2015/16. Governance, internal controls and good practice

Governance 14. At its meeting in January 2015 the Committee discussed the implications for the House of Lords of the report of the House of Commons Governance Committee. The report recommended that regular joint meetings should begin taking place between the House of Commons Commission and the House Committee and that there should be a bicameral review of joint working, which would consider existing arrangements and seek to identify other potential areas of joint work. The Committee will continue engaging with these developments, and any other governance changes, during 2015/16. House of Lords Annual Report | 2014/15 43

Continuous Improvement 15. The Head of Continuous Improvement in Parliament provided an overview of the bicameral Continuous Improvement (CI) initiative to the Committee in October 2014. The Committee noted that a number of CI reviews had been initiated to identify efficiencies and improvements, with senior staff having been recruited as advocates to facilitate this in Parliament, as well as the training of in-house practitioners. The Committee will look forward to receiving further updates on any benefits realised from the initiative during 2015/16.

External Quality Assurance of Internal Audit Service 16. As required by professional standards, an external quality assessment review of the House of Lords Internal Audit service was carried out during 2014. The overall conclusion confirmed that there was “general conformance with the Public Sector Internal Audit Standards”. The Audit Committee considered the report in October 2014, and a progress report against the individual suggestions made by the reviewers in March 2015. Annual Report and Resource Accounts 17. The Committee considered the draft Resource Accounts for 2013/14 in July 2014 and considered the 2014/15 draft Resource Accounts in July 2015. The 2013/14 Accounts were issued with an unqualified opinion by the Auditor. The Committee also agreed the National Audit Office’s Audit Strategy for the 2014/15 Resource Accounts. 18. At its meetings in July and October 2014 the Committee considered whether the House should begin publishing the annual report and resource accounts as a combined document, which was now standard practice in other parts of the public sector. The Committee agreed to return to this matter in 2015 following the publication of revised Treasury guidance in this area. Joint meetings with the House of Commons Administration Estimate Audit Committee 19. The Committee continued to hold six-monthly meetings with the House of Commons Administration Estimate Audit Committee. These took place in July 2014 and January 2015. Over the years these meetings have become a useful tool for providing assurance to both Accounting Officers on the controls in the large and growing areas 44 House of Lords Annual Report | 2014/15

of joint activity and expenditure and for sharing best practice across the two Houses. They now play an established and important role in the Committee’s work and we look forward to continuing the meetings in 2015/16. 20. The joint meeting of the Committees in July 2014 focused on the creation of a Parliamentary Digital Service (PDS) and the work of the new Parliamentary Procurement and Commercial Service (PPCS). The PDS, which brought together the management of all online and ICT services into a single organisation, came into being on 1 April 2015. Ahead of its creation the Committees discussed the proposed governance arrangements, Parliament’s capacity to implement the proposed changes, the transfer of staff under TUPE regulations, and the role of the new Director of the PDS. The Committees look forward to receiving a progress report on the work of the PDS during 2015/16. 21. The PPCS was established in April 2014, to provide a unified service for both Houses and PICT (now PDS), partly in response to the Committees’ recommendations. The Director of the PPCS provided the Committees with an update on its work, which covered: the new structure and the previous arrangements; the planned actions to improve procurement and contract management across Parliament; the benefits the new service aimed to deliver; the lessons learned from the creation of the unified service, and the major procurements that were planned. The Committees welcomed progress in this area and, in future, will consider annual reports on the work of the PPCS. In February and March 2015 new bicameral procurement and contract management rules for Parliament were agreed by both Management Boards. 22. The joint meeting of the Committees in January 2015 focused on the Security Arrangements Renewal Programme (SARP)1 and safety on the Parliamentary estate. The Parliamentary Security Director provided an update on SARP and noted the decision taken by both Houses in November 2014 to bring all the security officers in-house. The Committees also noted that the current Police Contract would be extended by a year to allow continuity of service, while negotiations with the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) continued on the new contract, which it was hoped could be agreed at an early stage. The Committees discussed the arrangements for the transfer of staff under TUPE regulations; the related changes to the security governance arrangements that had also been agreed by both Houses in 2014; the allocation of costs under the new Police Contract; and Parliament’s capacity to implement significant changes in this area. With regard to safety on the Parliamentary estate, the Committees noted that the Clerks had agreed a combined Health and Safety policy in July 2014 and considered how Parliament was addressing a number of issues identified in an internal audit report. The Committee

1 This is now known as the Security Restructuring Programme. House of Lords Annual Report | 2014/15 45

emphasised the importance of strong leadership, alongside culture and behaviour change among staff and contractors, in achieving improvements in this area. The Committees agreed to continue monitoring this area in 2015/16 due to its importance. 23. The Committees also noted the intention by the internal audit services in both Houses to continue coordinating their work by producing a Parliamentary Internal Audit Manual; rationalising their approach to Digital and Estates audits, with the Commons service taking the assurance lead in the former and the Lords in the latter; and formalising their mutual resource support arrangements. External review of Audit Committee effectiveness Following an NAO facilitated self-assessment of the Committee’s effectiveness in 2014, the Committee agreed in January 2015 to be externally reviewed by Mazars LLP, an international accounting, auditing and advisory organisation. The review was considered to be timely, ahead of significant challenges for the Administration, including governance changes and Restoration and Renewal. The Committee also noted that the undertaking of periodic internal and external effectiveness reviews by audit committees represented best practice in the private and public sectors. The results of the external review were considered by the Committee in July 2015, and any resulting changes will be considered in 2015/16.

July 2015 Turnbull Chairman of the Audit Committee 46 House of Lords Annual Report | 2014/15

Terms of Reference The Audit Committee is appointed by the House Committee. Its terms of reference are: 1. To consider internal and external audit reports and other material, and to assess management responses thereto; 2. To advise the Clerk of the Parliaments as Accounting Officer on the suitability of the annual internal audit work programme and to monitor progress against the audit plan; 3. To provide advice to the Clerk of the Parliaments in the exercise of his responsibilities as Accounting Officer; 4. To evaluate the adequacy of the risk management system and the suitability of the control arrangements reported to it, and to advise the Clerk of the Parliaments as Accounting Officer and the Management Board accordingly; 5. To encourage value for money, good financial practice, appropriate internal controls and effective governance throughout the Administration of the House; 6. To review the annual financial statements and accounts; 7. To make an annual report to the House, to be submitted, in the first instance, to the House Committee and to be published with the House of Lords’ Annual Report; 8. To work with the House of Commons Administration Estimate Audit Committee to monitor areas of joint interest of both Houses; 9. To review regularly the effectiveness of the Audit Committee.

Declarations of Interest: The relevant financial interests of internal Members of the Committee are listed in the Register of Lords Interests. An up-to-date version of the Register can be found at: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld/ldreg.htm House of Lords Annual Report | 2014/15 47

Sustainability Report This sustainability report follows – as far as possible and to the extent it is appropriate – the template and guidance issued to Government departments in HM Treasury’s Financial Reporting Manual. All the data (including expenditure) relate to Parliament as a whole. Greenhouse Gas Emissions

2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 2014/15

Non-Financial Total Gross Emissions for Scopes 18,970 20,042 19,182 19,454 Indicators 1 & 2

(tCO2e) Total Net Emissions for Scopes 6,755 7,637 7, 311 4,502 1 & 2 (i.e. less green tariffs)

Gross emissions Scope 3 1,154 1,271 1,353 1,264 business travel

Related Energy Electricity: Non-Renewable 3.90 4.10 5.38 0.0 Consumption (million kWh) Electricity: Renewable 24.86 25.26 23.82 28.55

Gas 26.40 30.16 25.76 24.33

Financial Expenditure on Energy 4,353 5,222 4,256 4,263 Indicators (£’000s) Expenditure on accredited 0 0 0 0 offsets (e.g. GCOF)

Expenditure on official 4,568 4,797 N/A* 2,558* business travel

Glossary

The following scopes of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions are defined in HM Treasury’s Financial Reporting Manual: Scope 1: Direct emissions of greenhouse gases Scope 2: Energy indirect emissions Scope 3: Emissions as a result of official business travel

tCO2e: tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent kWh: kilowatt hours GCOF: Government Carbon Offsetting Facility

* Information on business travel costs for 2013/14 is not available following a change in provider. The figure for 2014/15 covers the period 01/09/2014 to 31/05/2015. 48 House of Lords Annual Report | 2014/15

Performance Commentary (including targets) Parliament’s total gross carbon emissions for 2014/15 reflect the 2015 changes to the conversion factors provided by the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for reporting purposes. Parliament’s long-term target for absolute carbon dioxide emissions resulting from energy use is to reduce emissions by 34% by March 2021 relative to 2008/09 baseline levels. In order to meet this target Parliament’s 2014/15 emissions should have fallen by 17.8% on baseline. In 2014/15 Parliament achieved a 16.5% reduction relative to its adjusted 2008/09 baseline year. Carbon saving at Parliament has focused throughout 2014/15 on the contribution individuals can make through our Environmental Engagement Programme. Carbon savings continued to be identified through technical improvements, with all projects required to identify environmental impacts. All electrical supplies to the Parliamentary estate are from climate change levy exempt sources.

Controllable Impacts Commentary The main source of Parliament’s carbon dioxide emissions is energy consumption across the estate. Parliament’s environmental improvement plan setting out the actions planned to improve energy efficiency continues to be updated annually.

Overview of Influenced Impacts Achieving a reduction in Parliament’s emissions continues to be targeted as a priority, but where appropriate Parliament use procurement specifications to encourage reductions in our supply chain. House of Lords Annual Report | 2014/15 49

Waste

2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 2014/15

Non- Total waste 1,639 1,544 1,484 1,929 Financial Indicators Hazardous Total 2 2 2 2 (tonnes) waste

Non- Landfill 0 0 0 0 hazardous waste

Reused/ 868 896 874 1,205 Recycled/ Recovered

Incinerated/ 770 647 608 699 energy from waste

Financial Total disposal 586 561 466 440 Indicators cost (£’000s) Hazardous N/A** N/A** N/A** N/A** waste – Total disposal cost**

Non- Landfill 0 0 0 0 hazardous waste – Total disposal cost

Reused/ N/A** N/A** N/A** N/A** Recycled

Incinerated/ N/A** N/A** N/A** N/A** energy from waste

** Parliament’s waste contract does not break down costs by waste stream, but is an aggregation of standing charges, costs per collection and per tonne. There is no breakdown of annual costs of hazardous and non- hazardous wastes. 50 House of Lords Annual Report | 2014/15

Performance Commentary (including targets) Controllable Impacts Commentary Parliament’s long-term target for waste generated is to reduce the weight of waste by 30% by 2020/21 relative to 2008/09 baseline levels. Parliament’s long-term target for recycling remains to recycle 75% of waste generated by weight by 2020/21. In 2014/15 Parliament achieved a 4% reduction relative to its 2008/09 baseline. Parliament’s target for our recycling and recovery rate for 2014/15 was 66%. Parliament improved its recycling and recovery rate to 62.5% in 2014/15, and although Parliament is missing this short-term target, the rate of increase in its recycling rate was on trajectory to meet the long term target. The improvement Parliament has made was achieved through the continued expansion of the schemes to compost catering waste, and the mixed, dry office waste collection system. Parliament’s general office waste is disposed of via energy-from-waste facility. None of Parliament’s general waste goes to landfill.

Overview of Influenced Impacts Parliament continues to target a reduction in our own generation of waste and recycling rates as a priority, but where appropriate Parliament use procurement specifications to encourage its supply chain to improve performance in these areas. Finite Resource Consumption – Water

2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 2014/15

Non- Water Supplied 118 , 215 114, 2 26 122,533 145,200 Financial Consumption Indicators (m3)

Abstracted 104,306 93,313 98,691 88,641

Financial Water Supply 248 253 276 383 Indicators Costs (£’000s)

Performance Commentary (including targets) Parliament’s long-term target for water use is to reduce the volume it consumes by 50% by March 2021 relative to 2008/09 baseline levels. House of Lords Annual Report | 2014/15 51

In order to meet this target Parliament’s 2014/15 water use should have fallen by 31% on baseline. In 2014/15 Parliament achieved a 28.8% reduction relative to its 2008/09 baseline year. Overall consumption rose this year, mainly due to a leak from an incoming water main, which was resolved.

Controllable Impacts Commentary The main water consumers on the Parliamentary estate are borehole water for cooling in Portcullis House, and domestic and catering services for mains water supplies.

Overview of Influenced Impacts Parliament continues to target a reduction in its own water use as a priority, but where appropriate Parliament uses procurement specifications to encourage its supply chain to improve water efficiency. 52 House of Lords Annual Report | 2014/15

Diversity and Corporate Responsibility Report In pursuit of its values of fairness and respect for all staff, recognising its corporate responsibility to wider society, and its objective of being an open and diverse organisation, the Administration engaged in a number of initiatives and activities.

London Living Wage Employer The Administration maintained its accreditation as a London Living Wage (LLW) Employer, meaning that all staff of the House and contract staff working on the House’s premises will be paid at least the LLW. The new rate of LLW (£9.15 per hour) was adopted with effect from 1 December 2014.

“We Buy Social” Accreditation In November 2014, the House of Lords and House of Commons were accredited as ‘We Buy Social’ organisations by the national trade body, Social Enterprise UK. The accreditation recognises organisations from the public, private and voluntary sectors that have social enterprises in their supply chains, and which consider added social and environmental value when procuring or commissioning goods and services.

Workplace Equality Networks There are four Parliament-wide Workplace Equality Networks (WENs) in Parliament which provide an opportunity for groups of people to discuss and consider issues relevant to their situation or of interest to them: ParliAble (disability), Parliagender (gender equality), ParliOUT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersexual, and questioning) and ParliREACH (race, ethnicity and cultural heritage). The WENs continued to make a positive contribution to raising awareness of equality and diversity issues across Parliament in 2014/15. In February 2015, ParliOUT was named as one of the UK’s Awesome Networks by Inclusive Networks, a hub for celebrating diversity and inclusion, which named 40 network groups of all types and from all sectors for its inaugural awards. In October 2014 ParliOUT was also named as the Best Employee Network by Pink News. Following positive feedback during 2013/14, the mentoring and reverse mentoring opportunities for members and senior managers, as facilitated by ParliREACH, were extended to the House of Lords. House of Lords Annual Report | 2014/15 53

Health and Wellbeing A new policy was adopted on the use of e-cigarettes, which provides clear guidance for their use on the Parliamentary estate. The Parliamentary Health & Wellbeing team also held an annual Wellbeing Day on 12 February 2015, which was attended by members, members’ staff and staff from across Parliament. Diversity statistics for House of Lords staff appointments 2014/15

Ethnicity Applicants Shortlisted Successful Candidates Candidates

White 77.5% 81% 82.1%

Asian 10.8% 8.9% 7.7%

Black 6.7% 4.9% 2.6%

Other 3.6% 3.9% 5.1%

Not Supplied 1.4% 1.3% 2.6%

Gender Applicants Shortlisted Successful Candidates Candidates

Male 49.8% 48% 60%

Female 49.7% 51% 39%

Not supplied 0.5% 1% 1%

Age Applicants Shortlisted Successful Candidates Candidates

16-24 years 31% 10% 9%

25-34 years 38% 40% 41%

35-44 years 14% 22% 26%

45-54 years 11% 19% 19%

55+ years 3% 5% 3%

Not supplied 3% 4% 3% 54 House of Lords Annual Report | 2014/15

Appendix A House of Lords Administration Strategic Plan 2014-19

Our Aim, Objectives and Values The strategic aim of the House of Lords Administration is to enable the House and its members to carry out their parliamentary functions effectively. To achieve our strategic aim we will pursue the following strategic objectives: • Effectiveness – with impartiality, support and strengthen the House in performing its core functions of: • scrutinising and amending legislation • holding the executive to account • debating public policy • Efficiency – make efficient use of human, physical and financial resources. • Restoration, Renewal and Stewardship – jointly with the House of Commons, deliver a policy for restoring and renewing the Palace of Westminster. • Engagement – communicate and foster engagement with the work of the House as an effective second Chamber at home and abroad. • Partnership – play a full part in the functioning of the United Kingdom Parliament as a whole. In delivering our aim and objectives, we are also guided by the following values and principles: • Respect for the constitutional importance and dignity of Parliament • Professional excellence • Honesty, impartiality and integrity • Openness and accountability • Fairness and respect for all staff • Obtaining value for money while recognising our corporate responsibility to wider society • Environmental sustainability House of Lords Annual Report | 2014/15 55

Strategic tasks of the Administration to 2019 1. Effectiveness To support the House’s core functions we will: (a) In a timely manner, provide Members with the support services and information they need to carry out their core parliamentary work. (b) Exploit developments in ICT, information management and data systems to enable Members and staff to work in more flexible and cost-effective ways. (c) Propose and advise on improvements to the procedures and working practices of the House so as to strengthen its scrutiny of the executive and of legislation. (d) Work with professionalism and with confidence in our ability to innovate, and be an open and diverse organisation.

2. Efficiency To make best use of human, physical and financial resources we will: (a) Make flexible use of resources to meet the House’s changing priorities. (b) Recruit and retain good staff and make best use of pay and reward to that end. (c) Adhere to the savings target of not increasing the resource budget in real terms (compared with 2010/11), subject to the need to maintain the ability of the House and its Members to carry out their parliamentary functions in changing circumstances, including increased attendance. (d) Continuously seek to improve value for money and to identify inefficiencies and waste.

3. Restoration, Renewal and Stewardship To deliver a policy for restoring and renewing the Palace of Westminster we will: (a) Give priority to works projects which ensure fire safety, mitigate the worst mechanical and electrical risks, and restore the Cast Iron Roofs. (b) With the House of Commons, support the House in making and implementing decisions on the independent options appraisal for restoration and renewal of the Palace of Westminster. (c) Implement a programme of extending and renovating office space for members. (d) Decide on options for the future location of the Archives collection and services. (e) In the context of restoration and renewal, develop collections care and management programmes which balance preservation and public access goals. 56 House of Lords Annual Report | 2014/15

4. Engagement To communicate the work of the House and engage with the public we will: (a) Use online channels to promote a recognisable corporate image for the House of Lords and to explain its work. (b) Develop effective interactions between members of the House and the public. (c) Explain the work of the House in its own voice through targeted outreach and educational programmes. (d) Take advantage of commemorative events to enhance public understanding of the work of the House.

5. Partnership To play a full part in the functioning of Parliament we will: (a) Work jointly with the House of Commons Service, and where possible amalgamate, when doing so improves services or provides value for money and does not compromise our objectives or the House of Lords’ voice. (b) Engage and exchange best practice with other Parliaments and Assemblies. House of Lords Annual Report | 2014/15 57

Appendix B House of Lords Organisation Structure vices Digital Ser y y t Ar vices mation man appointed b orks of Ser Committee Infor man recommended b W House Committee) Audit Committee (Chair Committee of Selection) (Chair Financial Resources d liaments) t ar man recommended Committee Information vices y Committee of Selection) Ser Suppor (Chair b arliaments k of the P man:Lord Speaker) Cler man of Administration man: ate Ofcer/Accounting Ofcer) House Committee Man ag ement Boar (Chair Clerk of P Chair Access por eshment (Chair man: Committees) (Cor Committee Refr (Chair Human Resources man of Chair man: at e Committees) vices orks Committee por Administration & (Chair W Ser Cor y vices liamentar Ser r Pa 58 House of Lords Annual Report | 2014/15

Appendix C Composition of The House of Lords 2014/15 The size of the House rose by five this year, however the average daily attendance decreased slightly from 495 in 2013/14 to 483.

Composition of the House as at 31 March 2014

Men Women Total

Archbishops and bishops 26 0 26

Life peers under the Appellate Jurisdiction Act 1876 22 1 23

Life peers under the Life Peerages Act 1958 504 189 693

Peers under the House of Lords Act 1999 89 2 91

Total 641 192 833

Of whom: 44 members were on leave of absence, 8 were disqualified as senior members of the judiciary, 1 was disqualified as an MEP and 2 were suspended from the service of the House.

Composition of the House as at 31 March 2015

Men Women Total

Archbishops and bishops 26 0 26

Life peers under the Appellate Jurisdiction Act 1876 20 1 21

Life peers under the Life Peerages Act 1958 501 198 699

Peers under the House of Lords Act 1999 91 1 92

Total 643 200 838

Of whom: 45 members were on leave of absence, 8 were disqualified as senior members of the judiciary and 1 was suspended from the service of the House.

During the year 18 members died, 27 new life peers were created, four bishops took their seats and five hereditary peers joined the House following a by-election. House of Lords Annual Report | 2014/15 59

In August 2014 section 1 of the House of Lords Reform Act 2014 came into force and for the first time members were able to formally and irrevocable retire from the House. By 31 March 2015, 11 members of the House had retired under the provisions of the Act, three of whom were hereditary peers whose resignation triggered a by-election. At the end of the year the state of the parties/groups in the House was as follows: Conservative 225 Labour 215 Liberal Democrat 103 Crossbench 179 Other 36 Bishops 26 TOTAL 784 (These figures exclude 54 members on leave of absence, disqualified or suspended). 60 House of Lords Annual Report | 2014/15

Appendix D Activity Data 2014/15

Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4

Parliamentary Services

Sitting days 28 20 42 43

Average length of sitting 6h 15m 6h 31m 6h 36m 6h 29m

Time sitting after 10pm (h:m) 1h 5m 2h 16m 4h 41m 8h 10m

Amendments tabled 130 545 1,516 1,417

Questions for Written Answer tabled 1,252 1,219 1,940 1,537

Divisions 10 2 34 24

Grand Committees 10 7 29 29

Average length of Grand Committee 2h 59m 3h 10m 3h 12m 2h 43m

Number of committee meetings 112 104 201 164

Members at period end 777 793 792 784

Average daily attendance 494 462 489 491

Average division size 404 296 361 332

Registered Members' staff 560 534 537 560

Daily Hansard pages 2,288 2,064 4,072 4,319

Bills and amendments pages printed 2,394 1,314 5,244 3,548

Business document pages printed 676 560 1,090 1,276

Select Committee reports agreed 44 25 37 44

Select Committee pages printed 2,078 1,202 1,106 3,508 House of Lords Annual Report | 2014/15 61

Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4

Information services

Reference inquiries 1,948 1,554 2,521 2,475

Reference inquires by Members 1,461 1,123 1,779 1,827

Research transactions 5 ,116 3,728 6,222 6,237

Of which – research inquiries 390 283 457 494

Of which – library note take-up 1,486 951 2,657 1,449

Of which – briefing packs 3,240 2,494 3,108 4,294

Members: one or more Library services used 568 488 569 599

Book loans 357 328 427 407

Visitors to HoL corporate portal 87,676 88,697 114, 626 122,167

Total pageviews 160,382 161,680 210,127 219,630

Info inquiries (e-mail & telephone) 1,683 1,592 1,612 1,966

Twitter (no. of followers) 36,900 51,956 70,709 93,367

YouTube (no. of views) 5,876 4,266 9144 17,570

Digital Chamber (no. of hits) 1,939 4,334 1,737 2,664

Archives inquiries 1,385 1, 511 1,549 1,803

Freedom of Information requests 65 46 64 43

Public gallery visitors 8,440 6,518 10,300 8,226

Search room visitors 250 303 204 280

Peers in schools visits 31 10 51 64

Files appraised 16 98 0 0

Units conserved 156 87 68 71 62 House of Lords Annual Report | 2014/15

Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4

Facilities

Members with desk on estate 619 625 631 632

Members with desk in Palace 368 381 381 378

Banqueting covers 19,860 13,815 23,779 18 ,110

Banqueting events 259 170 339 269

Retail sales (£) 72,104 74,290 256,538 94,707

Retail transactions 2,585 2,049 6,554 3,134

Financial Resources

Invoices processed 5,432 2,726 3,749 4,415

Member claims processed 1,913 1,330 1,774 1,947

ICT Services

Members: users of Parliamentary Network – 738 733 758

Members: total items of IT equipment issued 83 56 106 72

Members: iPads connected 124 143 161 167

Members: visits to Lords Online Members Centre 43,806 35,679 48,833 57,316

Human Resources

Vacancies at period end (full/part time) 35/4 28/3 23/3 25/5

Number of staff at period end (full/part time) 408/81 403/85 415/89 417/83

Number of jobs advertised – 15 18 15

Recruitments successful 23 14 20 15

Probation deadlines met 79% 38% 68% 76%

Staff sickness rate 2.29% 1.17% 2.70% 3.06%

Staff turnover 2.67% 3.69% 1.79% 2.00% House of Lords Annual Report | 2014/15 63

Appendix E Aggregate Activity Data 2011-2015

2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 2014/15

Parliamentary Services

Sitting days 155 138 148 133

Average length of sitting 7h 29m 6h 43m 6h 57m 6h 28m

Time sitting after 10pm (h:m) 51h 15m 26h 51m 34h 59m 16h 12m

Amendments tabled 6,856 3,537 4,624 3,662

Questions for Written Answer tabled 8,454 6,829 6,626 5,948

Divisions 158 88 105 70

Grand Committees 71 73 94 85

Average length of Grand Committee 3h 8m 3h 16m 3h 19m 3h 1m

Number of committee meetings 619 695 660 581

Members at year end 783 764 778 784

Average daily attendance 489 484 487 484

Average division size 378 364 379 348

Registered Members' staff at year end 601 617 560 560

Daily Hansard pages 14,416 12,182 13,744 12,743

Bills and amendments pages printed 19,153 9,546 15,970 12,500

Business document pages printed 5,028 3,592 3,502 3,602

Select Committee reports agreed 148 163 164 150

Select Committee pages printed 4,864 5,687 6,325 7,894 64 House of Lords Annual Report | 2014/15

2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 2014/15

Information services

Reference inquiries 13,278 10,526 9,932 8,498

Reference inquires by Members 10,558 6,957 7,653 6,190

Research transactions 10,757 19,445 22,250 21,303

Of which – research inquiries 1,873 1,754 1,657 1,624

Of which – library note take-up 6,789 7,403 8,520 6,543

Of which – briefing packs 2,266 10,292 12,602 13,136

Visitors to HoL corporate portal 293,804 – 351,210 751,819

Info inquiries (e-mail & telephone) 13,386 9,312 8,518 6,853

Archives inquiries 5,946 5,863 5,923 6,248

Freedom of Information requests 193 188 185 218

Search room visitors 864 928 608 1,037

Peers in schools visits 288 278 192 156

Files appraised 159 185 146 114

Units conserved 843 564 945 382

Facilities

Members with desk on estate at year end 605 608 622 632

Members with desk in Palace at year end – 370 369 378

Banqueting covers – 73,991 68,630 75,564

Banqueting events – 964 960 1,037

Retail sales (£) – 584,381 492,409 497,639

Retail transactions – 14,065 14,516 14,322 House of Lords Annual Report | 2014/15 65

2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 2014/15

Financial Resources

Invoices processed 14,005 14,736 13,779 16,322

Member claims processed 7,571 6 , 811 6,995 6,964

ICT Services

Members: total items of IT equipment issued 261 242 321 317

Members: visits to Lords Online Members Centre 97,241 255,679 191,707 185,634

Human Resources

Vacancies at year end (full/part time) 33/9 34/6 34/8 25/5

Number of staff at year end (full/part time) 395/84 362/82 412/85 417/83

Probation deadlines met 76% 84% 74% 65%

Staff sickness rate 3.86% 1.96% 2.49% 2.31%

Staff turnover – 2.87% 2.33% 2.54%

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