III. A VISITOR'S OFFICE
13. The opening of the Line of Route during summer
would mark a major departure from the current arrangements. To
operate the Line of Route during the intensive period of a Summer
opening would require staff having to take overall responsibility
for planning and carrying out the visitor programme, planning
future public opening periods and coordinating programmes of exhibitions
and other events planned for Westminster Hall during the Summer
Adjournment.
14. The Committee considers that the work involved
with managing the Line of Route would be too onerous for existing
staff to be able to incorporate into their present duties, and
therefore recommends that a discrete visitors' office, serving
both Houses, be established within the Department of the Serjeant
at Arms, with appropriate staffing of a Visitor Manager, an Assistant
Manager and a secretary.
15. The Committee considers that many visitors,
at the end of their tour, would wish to ask questions about what
they have seen, how Parliament works, etc; and therefore recommends
that suitably knowledgeable staff should be available at the end
of the tour in order to assist with visitors' enquiries.
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