Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 20
20
The Clerk of the House of Commons explained the House administrations stood down all works...
Conclusion
The Clerk of the House of Commons explained the House administrations stood down all works on the parliamentary estate on 9 February, in part to check whether the right protocols were in place and understood by the relevant staff.50 He told us that the handling of the incident was not a defensible position and that it should not have happened as it happened.51 42 HC49 Q 80–90 43 HC1100 Q 145; UK Parliament: Written answer, UIN 96953, 11 January 2022Letter from Dr John Benger, 29 March 2022 44 HC1100 Qq 138–139; C&AG’s Report, para 1.13 45 Public Accounts Committee, Construction of Portcullis House, the new Parliamentary building, Sixty-Third Report, Session 2001–02, HC 861, 24 July 2002 46 HC1100 Q 27 47 HC1100 Qq 2, 4 48 HC1100 Qq 5–6 49 HC 1100 Q10 50 HC1100 Qq 14, 27 51 HC1100 Q 15; HC49 Qq 1–5 Restoration and Renewal of Parliament 15
Government Response
Not Addressed
HM Government
Not Addressed
Fourth bullet – safety escalation and reporting protocols The Clerk of the House and the Clerk of the Parliaments agree with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: the revised safety escalation protocols were implemented on 6 April 2022. A further review of their effectiveness is scheduled for October 2022 to ensure they remain fit for purpose, with annual reviews thereafter. The Clerk of the House and the Clerk of the Parliaments have recently reviewed and updated the existing safety escalation arrangements within Parliament, implementing the improved protocols on 6 April 2022. The risk-based protocols, which were developed in consultation with the Trade Unions, incorporate trigger points for escalation based on Health and Safety Executive best practice and the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013. Training has been delivered to key staff in Parliament on these arrangements to ensure they become embedded. A further review of their effectiveness is scheduled for October 2022 to ensure they remain fit for purpose, with annual reviews thereafter. Any subsequent changes will be communicated to the Commissions. For the House of Commons’ Commission, this is via the regular safety updates provided at each Commission meeting. The Clerk of the Parliaments will continue to provide the House of Lords’ Commission with oral updates on a range of issues as appropriate and will do so on safety matters where necessary.