asked Her Majesty's Government:

Who is responsible for clearing away rubbish under the portico of Portcullis House on Bridge Street; when the cleaning will be done; and whether the cleaning will be done more frequently in future.[HL6340]

As the portico is outside of Portcullis House, it is technically a public walkway and its upkeep is therefore the responsibility of Westminster City Council.

Councils are required by law to keep their land free from litter and refuse and to keep public highways clean. This duty is set out under Section 89 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. A Code of Practice on Litter and Refuse has been issued under this Act in order to clarify councils' responsibilities in this area. The code defines standards of cleanliness in terms of Grades A (litter-free) to D (heavily littered with significant accumulations).

It then specifies time limits within which the council must restore an area to Grade A (for hard surfaces), should it become littered. These time limits are between half a day and 28 days, depending on land use intensity and whether or not any special circumstances apply.

The Code of Practice on Litter and Refuse is available on the Defra website at www.defra.gov.uk/environment/localenv/litter/code.