Asked by: Lord Farmer (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to introduce legislation to extend the Palace of Westminster controlled area created by section 143 of the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 to include (1) the section of the A302 which forms the north side of Parliament Square, and (2) the public areas which adjoin.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
Through section 76 of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 (PCSC Act 2022), the previous Government amended section 142A of the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 to expand the “controlled area” of the Palace of Westminster to include the vehicular access points to the Parliamentary Estate. The amendment also added obstructing the passage of a vehicle into or out of the Parliamentary Estate to the list of prohibited activities.
The aim of the amendments was to prevent the impediment of Parliamentarians’ vehicular access to the Parliamentary Estate via vehicular entrances. The scope of the amendment was determined in consultation with the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) and other key partners. The PCSC Act 2022 will be subject to post-legislative scrutiny between April 2025 and April 2027. We will carefully consider the findings of that review and should gaps in the legislation be identified, we will seek to address them.
Asked by: Lord Farmer (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to review the effectiveness of existing legal provisions relating to the management of disruptive activities in the Palace of Westminster controlled area, including section 143 of the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
Through section 76 of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 (PCSC Act 2022), the previous Government amended section 142A of the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 to expand the “controlled area” of the Palace of Westminster to include the vehicular access points to the Parliamentary Estate. The amendment also added obstructing the passage of a vehicle into or out of the Parliamentary Estate to the list of prohibited activities.
The aim of the amendments was to prevent the impediment of Parliamentarians’ vehicular access to the Parliamentary Estate via vehicular entrances. The scope of the amendment was determined in consultation with the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) and other key partners. The PCSC Act 2022 will be subject to post-legislative scrutiny between April 2025 and April 2027. We will carefully consider the findings of that review and should gaps in the legislation be identified, we will seek to address them.
Asked by: Lord Farmer (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, with regard to the map on page 11 of the guidance issued by the Home Office in March 2023 on provisions of the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 relating to Parliament Square and the areas surrounding the Palace of Westminster, why the section of the A302 forming the north side of Parliament Square was not included in the controlled area.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
Through section 76 of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 (PCSC Act 2022), the previous Government amended section 142A of the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 to expand the “controlled area” of the Palace of Westminster to include the vehicular access points to the Parliamentary Estate. The amendment also added obstructing the passage of a vehicle into or out of the Parliamentary Estate to the list of prohibited activities.
The aim of the amendments was to prevent the impediment of Parliamentarians’ vehicular access to the Parliamentary Estate via vehicular entrances. The scope of the amendment was determined in consultation with the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) and other key partners. The PCSC Act 2022 will be subject to post-legislative scrutiny between April 2025 and April 2027. We will carefully consider the findings of that review and should gaps in the legislation be identified, we will seek to address them.
Correspondence Jan. 21 2025
Committee: Home Affairs Committee (Department: Home Office)Found: House of Commons Palace of Westminster London SW1A 0AA HomeAffCom@parliament.uk Social: @houseofcommons
Written Evidence Feb. 28 2025
Inquiry: Speaker’s Conference on the security of candidates, MPs and electionsFound: the Palace of [SCS0015] Westminster, as well as in their constituencies.
Correspondence Feb. 25 2025
Committee: Home Affairs Committee (Department: Home Office)Found: House of Commons Palace of Westminster London SW1A 0AA homeaffcom@parliament.uk +44 (0)20 7219
Correspondence May. 08 2025
Committee: Public Accounts CommitteeFound: House of Commons Palace of Westminster Westminster SW1A 0AA info@parliament.uk Social: @houseofcommons
Correspondence Jan. 09 2025
Committee: Public Accounts CommitteeFound: House of Commons Palace of Westminster Westminster SW1A 0AA info@parliament.uk Social: @houseofcommons
Asked by: Lord Farmer (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Hanson of Flint on 25 February (HL5010), what plans they have to extend the Palace of Westminster controlled area created initially by the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 so that the section of pavement adjoining both the Great George Street government offices and the section of the A302 that forms the north side of Parliament Square, rather than only the vehicular access points within that area, is subject to the same restrictions on amplified noise as the rest of Parliament Square.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Government keeps its public order legislation under constant review and where gaps are identified we will seek to address them.
Correspondence May. 07 2025
Committee: Women and Equalities CommitteeFound: House of Commons Palace of Westminster London SW1A 0AA womeqcom@parliament.uk +44 (0)20 7219