Parliamentary Estate: Security

House of Commons Commission written question – answered at on 8 May 2024.

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Photo of Therese Coffey Therese Coffey Conservative, Suffolk Coastal

To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the House of Commons Commission, pursuant to the Answer of 26 April 2024 to Question 22724 on Parliamentary Estate: Security, if the Commission will publish a breakdown of the (a) 4,132 staff and (b) 4,236 contractors with valid security passes by (i) profession and (ii) Department.

Photo of Charles Walker Charles Walker Chair, Administration Committee, Chair, Administration Committee

It is not possible to breakdown passholder data by profession, but we are able to segregate the data by Department at the time of application. The pass issuing system is not an HR system so the data will never accurately reflect payroll due to the frequency of staff moving between Departments.

It should be noted that not all staff and contractors who hold passes work on the Parliamentary Estate full time, and that contractors in particular may only hold a pass for a limited time period and/or for limited buildings in accordance with business need.

The following data is a snapshot of staff of both Houses and contractors broken down by Department, from 30 April 2024:

Commons and Bicameral Staff

Pass Count

Chamber and Participation

570

Parliamentary Digital Service

537

Security

491

Customer Experience and Service Delivery

416

Select Committee Team

298

Strategic Estates

308

Research and Information

219

Parliamentary Maintenance Department

159

Finance Portfolio and Performance

124

People and Culture

113

Office of the Executive

73

Governance Office

38

Restoration and Renewal Client Team

24

Speakers Office

23

Independent Complaints and Grievance

11

Grand Total

3404

House of Lords

Pass Count

Staff

705

Contractors

89

Grand Total

794

Detailed data for the House of Lords Administration has not been included as it is a separate organisation.

Delivery Authority

Pass Count

Staff*

184

Contractors

256

Grand Total

440

*Listed in Answer of 26 April 2024 to Question 22724 under category ‘(g) any other category’

All other contractors

Sponsor

Pass Count

Strategic Estates

2500

Parliamentary Maintenance Department

710

Customer Experience and Service Delivery

285

Parliamentary Digital Service

133

Chamber and Participation

113

Outside Organisations

87

Security

65

People and Culture

65

Research and Information

47

Select Committee Team

14

Restoration and Renewal Client Team

11

Finance Portfolio and Performance

8

Governance Office

7

Office of the Executive

Fewer than five*

Independent Complaints and Grievance

Fewer than five

Speaker’s Office**

Fewer than five

Grand Total

4051

* Some numbers have been withheld owing to the low numbers of individuals involved (fewer than five), and disclosing this data may make it possible for individuals to be identified.

** The Speaker directly sponsors passes for Members of the Armed Forces doing secondments and UK representatives of overseas territories. These positions are not funded by the House of Commons and total 18 passes.

Does this answer the above question?

Yes3 people think so

No2 people think not

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