To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will make arrangements to keep the offices of Members and their staffs heated during recesses.

Heating is already provided during recesses

Were not the offices of Members and their staffs, as well as the Corridors, appallingly cold during the recent winter recess and overbearingly hot during the summer recess? Are not these conditions the result of a lack of proper ventilation? Surely the fact that the majority of Members do not attend the House during the recess is no reason why those who do, and their staffs, should freeze or fry.

I think that some of the difficulties arising from heat in the summer and cold in the winter are due to the nature of the building, most of which was constructed before the introduction of modern facilities. In that respect, the new parliamentary building will be quite different.

However, heating is provided during recesses. Sometimes problems are due to the breakdown of specific pieces of equipment.