Department of the Serjeant at Arms Annual
Report 2000-01
1. Introduction
The Serjeant at Arms Department sees its purpose
as:
"To provide the best possible service
to Members and all those who work in or visit the House of Commons,
on the authority of the Speaker and within the regulations of
the House".
In addition to his ceremonial duties, the Serjeant
at Arms, as Executive Officer of the House, is responsible to
the Speaker for all accommodation, with associated services, and
for security and access to the Palace of Westminster and the parliamentary
outbuildings. Many of the services are managed on behalf of both
Houses. The Department is structured into four Directorates: Serjeant's
Operations, Estates, Works Services and Communications, each led
by a Director. The Director of Serjeant's Operations is also the
Deputy Serjeant at Arms.
During the review period, the Department has focused
on five over-arching goals:
- to maintain an appropriate level of security;
- to improve facilities and services;
- to develop information systems;
- to improve PDVN services; and
- to improve management of departmental resources.
Significant progress has been made in each of these
areas by all sections of the Department and the House has been
provided with major improvements in infrastructure, facilities
and services.
Works projects and programmes have continued throughout
the year to restore and maintain the estate, to continue the PDVN
programme of installation, to refurbish Committee Rooms, to conserve
energy in line with Government targets and to provide Parliament
with a new building for Members in the 21st century.
A major feature this year has been the Braithwaite
Review of the Governance and Control and Systems of the Department.
The agreed recommendations from the report are being implemented
in order to strengthen management and control, in line with the
House of Commons' corporate strategy.
The year has been a demanding one: a major rationalisation
of accommodation was begun to very good effect, the quality of
IT and PDVN support across both Houses has both improved and stabilised
and the Department has taken positive measures in order to implement
the recommendations of the Braithwaite Review. This last issue
has required a fundamental re-organisation of much of the Department
and the process will continue into a further year. The contribution
of the staff to all the undertakings of the Department has been
excellent and the value of their teamwork has been proven.
2. Plans and achievements
TO MAINTAIN AN APPROPRIATE LEVEL OF SECURITY
2.1 SECURITY
The Department's objective has been to continue to
bear down on security costs while maintaining a correct level
of security staffing and cover.
The Serjeant at Arms, with his responsibility for
the security of the House of Commons, has to perform a difficult
balancing act. On the one hand, he has to ensure a safe environment
for Members and staff and, on the other, he seeks to provide an
environment where security arrangements are not so stringent that
they impinge on the ability of Members and staff to perform their
functions.
The requirement to provide appropriate security,
offering value for money, is addressed at regular meetings attended
by finance officers of both Houses, as well as by representatives
of the Receiver to the Metropolitan Police. Additionally, regular
scrutiny has been applied to issues like sickness, overtime and
manning levels.
An important part of the security contract is that
covering Fire Service staff. This has been reviewed and the facilities
offered by private security firms have been evaluated and a number
of options considered. On balance, a decision was taken that the
Metropolitan Police should remain the Service Provider, on the
grounds that it offers the most secure and efficient option. There
have nevertheless been alterations to responsibilities, to free
up the time of the fire officers to concentrate mainly on specialist
tasks.
The fact that the Metropolitan Police are now subject
to regular security meetings and challenges is a healthy development.
Responsibilities are always changing with additional areas, such
as Portcullis House, and updated security measures, such as CCTV
and pass-controlled doors. It will nonetheless always be the case
that the best security assets are trained staff who are alert,
well briefed and imaginative. Such staff are an expensive asset
and every effort continues to be made to deploy them to the best
advantage.
TO IMPROVE FACILITIES AND SERVICES
2.2 PORTCULLIS HOUSE
An important objective this year was to complete
Portcullis House, ready for occupation by Members and their staff.
The brief had been to provide a long life, energy efficient building
with accommodation for 210 Members and their staff, with Committee,
conference and meeting room facilities on the first floor, and
restaurant and general facilities around the glass-roofed courtyard
on the ground floor.
Practical completion of the contracts was achieved
on 18 August 2000 allowing the building to be handed over to the
House Authorities. This was in line with the forecast that the
building would be handed over on schedule, 30 months after the
work started on site.
Detailed planning of the occupation programme started
in the summer of 1999. The occupation team devised a comprehensive
strategy to ensure that Members' expectations of their new accommodation
would be met and that the moves would proceed smoothly. Full information
about the building, locations, services, systems, the offices,
and the environmental controls was incorporated into the 'Welcome
to Portcullis House' guide supplied to every new occupant. The
occupation programme started in mid-September and by mid-December
525 moves of Members and their staff had been completed. A customer
feedback survey was carried out within two weeks of each move
and the results indicated an overall 85% 'very good to good' level
of satisfaction.
The House was honoured by the presence of Her Majesty
The Queen who performed the Opening Ceremony in February 2001.
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