Memorandum by the Board of Management,
House of Commons
1. The Board of Management welcomes the
opportunity to contribute to the Catering Committee's inquiry
into the growing pressure on many Refreshment Department facilities
in the House of Commons.
2. The Refreshment Department faces singular
logistical challenges. Up to 7,000 meals are served per day in
its 14 dining facilities. The hours of some outlets cannot be
predicted in advance, as they are tied to the sitting hours of
the House. Demand tends to rise and fall depending on whether
the House is sitting, although over the past decade recess periods
have become increasingly busy. Indeed, the cafeterias can often
serve as many meals in recess weeks as in sitting weeks.
3. Within these constraints, the Department
seeks to provide a high quality service to its diverse customers:
Members, their staff, House of Commons staff, Peers, Peers' staff,
House of Lords staff, the press, contractors, civil servants,
those from other organisations who hold passes, and visitors.
4. Access is a key part of this. At times
demand outstrips supply, and restricting access to some outlets
is necessary. But at other times services are little-used (for
example on Thursday evening). Some of the current access arrangements
are confusing and out-dated. The Board hopes that the Committee's
recommendations to the Speaker (who is the ultimate authority
on changes to the access regulations) will enable a more rational
system to be created.
5. This memorandum focuses on four key issues:
the needs of staff of the House, logistical issues, pricing and
planning.
STAFF OF
THE HOUSE
6. The Board hopes that the Committee will
be mindful of the needs of the House's 1,600 permanent staff when
considering access. Some of these staff begin work very early
in the morning; others work until (and after) the House rises;
almost all attend during recesses. They need facilities they can
access close to where they work.
7. One particular issue that could be considered
is that, at the moment, long-term contractors (who are working
under the same conditions as permanent staff) are treated no differently
than works project contractors. It would be helpful if the Committee
could recommend that some additional access is granted to this
group.
8. Likewise, temporary staff who work in
the Palace are currently unable to use the Terrace cafeteria between
12.00 and 2.00.
LOGISTICAL ISSUES
9. At peak times the weight of numbers in
some facilities is resulting in severe overcrowding and pressure
on Refreshment Department staff. Some further rationing in these
facilities at these times is necessary.
10. One particular issue that staff raise
is overcrowding in the Terrace cafeteria, both at lunchtime and
in the evening. Some staff, for example those on division duty,
are obliged to use this venue because of its proximity to the
Chamber. The Board hopes that the Committee will be able to make
suggestions to alleviate this problem.
11. Whatever access restrictions are put
in place, they need to be both enforceable and properly enforced.
One particular current enforcement problem, according to anecdotal
evidence, is of guest numbers. Refreshment Department staff can
be put in the difficult position of challenging passholders who
bring in too many guests to a particular facility.
12. The Board hopes that the Committee will
give thought to how its recommendations could be implemented.
Complicated rules which distinguished between a number of different
pass categories could be difficult to administer. Positive policing
of access could have cost implications if provided by the security
force (the cost of one Security Officer for two hours is £21.00).
13. The Board notes that the Committee has
asked for the views of Peers and their staff, and staff of the
House of Lords. Refreshment facilities in the Lords are more limited
than those in the Commons, and these groups often use Commons'
facilities. Liaison between the two Houses is very important,
particularly if decisions are taken to close facilities for a
time (for example, the House of Lords' refreshment facilities
were closed last summer recess).
14. The Board agrees with the Committee
than an assessment of the current level of demand is necessary.
It hopes that this will include a full breakdown of users—including
Members, their staff, House of Commons staff, Peers, Peers' staff,
House of Lords staff, the press, contractors, civil servants,
those from other organisations who hold passes, and visitors,
to enable the Committee to have the fullest possible picture of
those who are using Refreshment Department services.
PRICING
15. The Board notes that pricing can be
used both as a mechanism to manipulate demand and as a means of
reducing the total cost of the subsidy for catering services.
Whilst the overall level of subsidy provided for catering is ultimately
a policy issue for the Commission, one option would be to introduce
differential pricing, either on the basis of time and/or category
of user (eg passholders' visitors) as a way of redistributing
demand for services. However, the Board hopes that the Committee
will take into account the fact that some staff have little or
no discretion about the time they take their meal breaks, and
will recognise the potential cost to staff who have no alternative
but to use the catering services at peak times.
PLANNING
16. The pattern of demand is bound to change
over the next five years. The redistribution of Members from the
southern estate to the Palace and northern estate planned for
summer 2002 and January 2003 will put considerable further pressure
on catering facilities there, as will the move of 50 Members and
100 of their staff into Norman Shaw South.
17. The Committee could consider whether
use could be made of the Visitor Café in the evenings.
It might also, in the light of the report on demand, consider
whether any of the facilities in the Palace are currently under-used.
CONCLUSION
18. The key points of the Board's submission
are:
18.1 Some of the current arrangements are
confusing and out-dated.
18.2 Staff need facilities they can access
close to where they work.
18.3 Complicated rules which distinguished
between a number of different pass categories could be difficult
to administer.
18.4 The Board agrees with the Committee
that an assessment of the current level of demand is necessary,
and hopes that this will include a full breakdown of users: including
Members, their staff, House of Commons staff, Peers, Peers' staff,
House of Lords staff, the press, contractors, civil servants,
those from other organisations who hold passes, and visitors.
18.5 The pattern of demand is bound to change
over the next five years.
19. The Board will be happy to help the
Committee further in any way it can.
William McKay
Chairman of the Board of Management
25 March 2002
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