Question

To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker whether £7 million is to be spent on the security works project at Peers' Entrance; why such expenditure is necessary; and who authorised it.

For security reasons, the Houses do not publish capital expenditure on security mitigating projects as providing this level of detail could enable an individual to infer the extent and nature of the works, and thus the vulnerabilities which they were intended to mitigate.

The necessity and cost of the works at Peers’ Entrance have been the subject of rigorous internal assessment through the usual business case process. The plans have also been validated by external experts. Members are always welcome to contact the Director of Security to discuss any security-related concerns privately.　　

The Clerk of the Parliaments and Clerk of the House, as Accounting and Corporate Officers, have responsibility for approving final business cases for security projects across the Parliamentary Estate, subject to advice from the Finance Directors and other relevant officials. The Clerk of the Parliaments’ decisions on security projects are informed by consultation with the House of Lords Commission, which ensures that the impact on Members is taken into account, and by the Finance Committee which receives regular reports regarding security expenditure. The Clerk of the House is informed by the equivalent groups and individuals in the House of Commons. Ultimately it is not the House that makes the final decision because security is a bicameral issue, and legal responsibility for safety sits with the Clerk of the Parliaments and Clerk of the House.