To ask the hon. Member for Berwick upon Tweed, as representing the House of Commons Commission, if he will take steps to initiate a review by the Staff Inspector of the work of the Serjeant at Arms Department in respect of the efficient provision of facilities for right hon. and hon. Members.

There are no plans for such a review at present.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that an increasing number of Members work full-time in this place, so that there are greater needs in the constituencies, often met from the secretarial allowance? Do not individual Members now rely even more upon the services provided by the Serjeant at Arms Department? Will the hon. Gentleman ask the Staff Inspector to consider two matters? First, should not one Officer of the House be made responsible for Gallery tickets, guides and tours, so that hon. Members can arrange such matters conveniently? Secondly, should there not be a review of facilities for basic shopping for those hon. Members who have to travel a long way?

There is generally wide appreciation of much of the work done by the Serjeant at Arms Department. The arrangements for tickets and guides fall beyond the remit of the Staff Inspector. It is something that the Services Committee might wish to consider, and I shall invite it to do so if the hon. Gentleman would care to put further proposals to the Serjeant at Arms. The possibility of a supermarket on the premises goes rather wide and might give rise to some rather interesting discussion in the House.

How much longer will the Serjeant at Arms and Black Rod allow large numbers of our fellow citizens who want to see their Parliament to stand in the rain in a queue?

That is an interesting point, and one that the Services Committee might consider and keep under review. The hon. Gentleman's comments will be drawn to its notice.

To ask the hon. Member for Berwick upon Tweed, as representing the House of Commons Commission, what provisions are made for the welfare of staff in the Refreshment Department during the summer months.

In order to alleviate the worst effects on staff of the hot and humid weather experienced during the summer months considerable improvements have been made in recent years to the ventilation and air-flow arrangements in almost all the Refreshment Department's kitchens and public rooms. As a result only one trading point —s Bar—has no form of mechanical ventilation or air conditioning. Further improvements are planned.

I should have thought that there was sufficient hot air circulating in Annie's Bar, such that any special provision would not be warranted. In view of some of the conversations that emanate from that Bar, would it not be appropriate for the hon. Gentleman to consider closing it?

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that this place is one of the smelliest and sweatiest that I have ever worked in, and that it is especially so for the staff? Are not the provisions for staff in this "Upstairs Downstairs" world of the Palace wholly inappropriate? Quite frankly, they should not be tolerated. I ask the hon. Gentleman to make further recommendations to make the working conditions for staff much better.

There are, indeed, further proposals to improve working conditions for Refreshment Department staff. More that £750,000 was spent on a scheme to improve the ventilation and air conditioning of the main kitchens. Half that sum came from the Refreshment Department's trading surplus, to which Members themselves contributed. Nevertheless, more work is required to improve conditions for our staff. It was, after all, to Politicians and not to people working in kitchens that the advice was given, "If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen".

To ask the hon. Member for Berwick upon Tweed, as representing the House of Commons Commission, what is the policy of the House of Commons Commission as to the application of cash limits to expenditure undertaken on behalf of the House.

Cash limits do not apply to the Vote for House of Commons: Administration, which is the only Vote for which the Commission is directly responsible. The Commission decided in 1982 not to impose a formal cash limit system of its own, but over the years it has approved a series of measures designed to tighten the control of expenditure by Departments of the House without pre-empting the right of the House to take major decisions on its own facilities and services.

I thank my hon. Friend for that reply. Has the Commission been under pressure from the Government to impose strict cash limits? Does he agree that such limits would have the effect of gagging potential critics, which would be undesirable for the conduct of the affairs of the House?

The Commission, throughout its history—I have served on it since it was created nine years ago—has resisted any attempt that would have inhibited the House's ability to carry out its duties by reducing its ability to undertake legitimate expenditure. The Commission has, however, sought to give the Government reasonable notice of public expenditure requirements, wherever possible, while always insisting that the House should decide on the services it requires, and the Commission makes provision accordingly.