Details relating to the use of Parliamentary passes

Request

I note from the records provided that Keith Simpson MP has three members of staff. However, he provides four Parliamentary passes.

Can I request, therefore, information on

  1. Guidance given to MPs about offering Parliamentary Passes to people they do not employ.

  2. The total number of Parliamentary Passholders who, while sponsored by an MP, are not Parliamentary employees.

  3. How often the status of passholders who are not Parliamentary employees is reviewed by Parliamentary authorities

  4. What a parliamentary passholder is entitled to do on the Parliamentary estate that an ordinary member of the public is not.

  5. The cost to the taxpayer of providing an individual parliamentary pass (and whether the cost differs for someone who is not employed in Parliament)

I would also like to know if IPSA officials have met with or corresponded with Keith Simpson MP on the issue of his parliamentary pass sponsorship, and any records of these meetings/correspondence.


Response

You specifically requested the following information:

  1. guidance given to MPs about offering Parliamentary Passes to people they do not employ;

  2. the total number of Parliamentary passholders who, while sponsored by an MP, are not Parliamentary employees;

  3. how often the status of passholders who are not Parliamentary employees is reviewed by Parliamentary authorities;

  4. what a parliamentary passholder is entitled to do on the Parliamentary estate that an ordinary member of the public is not; and

  5. the cost to the taxpayer of providing an individual parliamentary pass (and whether the cost differs for someone who is not employed in Parliament).

I can confirm that IPSA does not hold the information that falls within the description specified in your request. IPSA is the independent body responsible for setting and paying Members of the House of Commons and their staff their salaries and expenses. IPSA has no responsibility over who is able to access the Houses of Parliament and is not in any way responsible for arrangements for issuing Parliamentary passes. This is a matter for the Houses of Parliament.

The House of Commons may hold the information you are seeking. If you have not already done so, then you may wish to write to the Freedom of Information Officer at House of Commons, Department of HR and Change, 7 Millbank, Westminster, SW1A 0AA. Alternatively, you can send an email to: foicommons@parliament.uk.

Ref:
FOI2011-098
Disclosure:
28 November 2011
Categories:
NOT IPSA'S REMIT
Exemptions Applied:
None