Guide to Parliamentary Work

3. The Parliamentary Estate and access to the House

3.1 Parliamentary Clerks liaise with Parliament regarding those departmental officials who require access to the Palace of Westminster to conduct official business, and to provide adequate and timely advice to their officials on the rules governing access to the Palace. Any disputes or queries should be made to the Deputy Serjeant at Arms in the first instance. The Leader’s Office represents ‘Whitehall’ wide issues to the House authorities. This is usually done through the Parliamentary Clerks Working Group.

Who Can Apply for a pass?

3.2 Civil Servants who need to attend restricted areas of parliament on official business and who have received basic (baseline standard) clearance from their department can apply for a day pass. Officials require at least a day pass if attending the Officials Box, if they need to visit ministerial offices unescorted or are required to visit restricted areas of the parliamentary estate. Staff requiring regular access to the parliamentary estate (at least 2-3 times a week) should apply for a photo pass. There is no grade requirement for parliamentary passes; it is strictly on a business need. Departments should never issue or authorise passes to those who do not need them. Secondees can apply for a photo pass if they are security cleared to CTC level or above and have a business need to attend. Parliamentary Units within departments usually have a role in controlling those passes in operation by their department, and ensuring the House authorities are aware of those officials attending the parliamentary estate on business.

Types of Passes and Areas Covered

3.3 The following different types of passes are available:

• Photographic Visitor Pass – An official who is attending business in a public area of the parliamentary estate only needs a visitor’s pass as issued to visiting members of the public. These are issued via the Visitor Reception Building. These cover the following areas of the parliamentary estate:
  • Central Lobby;
  • Committee rooms - including sitting in the Box to support Ministers;
  • Lords Grand Committee Room (Moses Room) - including sitting in the Box to support Ministers);
  • Portcullis House 1st floor meeting and committee rooms;
  • Public galleries;
  • Westminster Hall Grand Committee Room - including sitting in the Box to support Ministers; and
  • Westminster Hall meeting rooms (”W” prefix)
• Day Pass – An official with basic clearance from their government department, of whom the Pass Office have been notified in advance, who also possesses a departmental pass and has a legitimate reason for entry to the estate, may have a day pass (no escort status). Exceptionally, where an official does not hold a Departmental photo pass, the Parliamentary Clerk can confirm their status in writing to the pass office to confirm they are a civil servant with at least basic clearance. A day pass is needed to access the:
  • Journal office;
  • Library corridor;
  • Lower Ministerial conference rooms (Large Ministerial Conference Room, Small Ministerial Conference Room);
  • Ministerial and Members’ offices;
  • Officials Box (Commons and Lords main chambers);
  • Officials corridor (back of the Chair);
  • Printed Paper Office;
  • Public Bill Office; and
  • Vote Office
• Government Department Photo Pass (for officials cleared to CTC or above) – An official who needs to come on to the estate frequently e.g. two or three times a week may have a pink photo pass which allows access anywhere business takes them (no escort status unless specifically authorised for certain Private Office staff only); and
• Government Department Photo Pass (Escort) – this pass is issued to a limited number of Private Secretaries on the basis that the holder will regularly be escorting guests within the palace precincts for Ministers. Escort holders must remain with the person being escorted at all times and must be responsible for their good behaviour. The person being escorted must be attending on official business and must be escorted off the estate or to a public area once their business is concluded.

Period of Passes

3.4 Passes are generally issued for a period from September to July, other than FCO escort officers or messengers who get one year, but can be issued for longer at the discretion of the Deputy Serjeant at Arms. Passes that will not be required for a full year should have the time required indicated on the application form. Passes deemed not to have been used adequately may be withdrawn by House authorities and departments are expected to review their pass holders on an annual basis.

Access to Parliament

3.5 Due to the nature of security surrounding the Palace of Westminster, there needs to be tight controls on those accessing the precincts. The police and security staff do their best to identify and assist pass holders and those on official business whenever possible. Officials using the Visitors Reception Building should make themselves known to police and security staff, being as explicit as possible about business being conducted will help to assist speedier access at times when large numbers of public visitors are also seeking entry to the Palace. Officials should allow adequate time to gain access to the Palace if attending meetings with Ministers or otherwise attending in their support. Any problems regarding access should be notified through Parliamentary Sections to the Deputy Serjeant at Arms as soon as possible.

3.6 Officials must fully co-operate with police and security staff – all parliamentary pass holders are liable to be searched. Day pass holders may only access via entrances with search facilities whereas Parliamentary photo pass holders may use any entrance to the Palace. Only those holding a Parliamentary photo pass may accompany Ministers intending to access the Palace in their cars and passes should be displayed to the police on entry.

Officials Box

3.7 To attend the ‘Officials box’ in either House the individual must be on the box list for the day, hold a minimum of BS (Baseline Standard) clearance and be in possession of a day pass. The Parliamentary Branch of the department is responsible for supplying the list of officials providing Ministerial support to the Commons Speaker’s office or Black Rod’s office in the Lords. There is a maximum of 8 places available in the Commons. The list should be supplied by 12 noon on Monday and Tuesday, 10 am on Wednesday and 9 am on Thursday. A separate letter should be submitted for every individual piece of business.

3.8 The Officials box is in effect part of the Chamber, and is subject to the jurisdiction of the Speaker. The Leader of the House of Commons takes any complaints against officials very seriously. Officials are subject to strict rules of etiquette. The following points should be remembered:

• Officials should be respectfully dressed - men are required to wear a jacket and tie;
• no communication devices (including mobile telephones and blackberries) may be taken into the box (they must be left with the doorkeepers);
• officials should enter and leave the box as quickly and quietly as possible and should only enter the box at the direction of the doorkeepers, whose instructions must be followed at all times;
• eating and drinking are strictly forbidden;
• officials must not react in any way to anything said in debate;
• Members who are not Ministers or Parliamentary Private Secretaries to Ministers may not seek information from officials in the box unless asked to do so by a Minister. Government Whips in the Lords may communicate with officials in the Lords Chamber.

Attendance in Westminster Hall and for Committee meetings

3.9 Four spaces are reserved for officials supporting Ministers during Westminster Hall debates, although officials may sit in the area provided for the public. Names of officials should be submitted to the Principal Doorkeeper before the morning of the debate. During Public Bill and Delegated Legislation Committees, officials sit to the right of Chairman. No special permission is needed for these seats, or those provided at the back if the Committee is meeting in public. During Select Committee appearances officials sit behind the Minister giving evidence. Only a visitor pass is required for Westminster Hall or Committee meetings.

3.10 There are basic rules of behaviour to which all officials must adhere:

• During Committee meetings, officials should not walk behind the Chair while the Chairman is on his/her feet putting questions or addressing the Committee;
• those entering or leaving the room should take care to avoid disrupting proceedings;
• notes should be passed as discretely as possible (In Westminster Hall preferably through the PPS or Doorkeeper);
• conversation should be kept as quiet as possible; and
• no civil servant should enter that part of the room reserved for Members.

Attendance in the Lords

3.11 Officials attending the Lords on business are accommodated in space to the right of the Throne. There is a box here which accommodates four, although additional chairs are available. Any further officials are accommodated in the public gallery. Seats here must be reserved by 10 am on the day of the business by faxing a list of names to Black Rod’s Office.

Refreshments

3.12 The following facilities are available to departmental staff and should only be used when attending official business in the Palace:

• Jubilee Cafeteria (off Westminster Hall) – this is the only restaurant facility available to day pass holders and is not open in the evenings;
• Debate (Portcullis House) Full grey photo pass holders with up to two guests (except between 12 noon and 2pm) and pink (departmental) photo pass holders (except between 12 noon and 2pm);
• Terrace Cafeteria – Pink (departmental) pass holders can only eat here between 12 noon and 2pm as a guest of a grey pass holder (who may take up to two guests);
• Bellamy’s (1 Parliament Street) – Grey pass holders with up to two guests;
• Portcullis Cafeteria (Millbank) – Grey pass holders with up to two guests. Pink pass holders without guests.
• Adjournment (Portcullis House) – Grey pass holders on Fridays and during recess periods with up to three guests.

Contact Details

3.13 The Pass Office (Derby Gate) may be contacted on 0207 219 5920 or faxed on 0207 219 5461. The Deputy Serjeant at Arms can be contacted on 0207 219 3040. Black Rod’s Office can be contacted on 0207 219 4760 or faxed on 0207 219 2913. Lists for the Officials Box in the House of Commons should be faxed to the Speaker’s Office 0207 219 6901 or to the Principle Doorkeeper for Westminster Hall business on 0207 219 4771.