– in the House of Commons am 4:34 pm ar 19 Mehefin 1991.
On a point of order, Mr. Deputy Speaker. I want to inform you, as briefly as I can, of the circumstances in which I escorted around Parliament today blind and partially sighted students from Temple Banks school in my constituency. It is appalling that the House has no facilities, such as a rest room, that members of the public use. If they wanted a meal, those students had to be led off by the people who accompanied them as their guides. There should be more facilities in the House for such people, and an opportunity to book a suitable room in advance.
I know that such matters are being considered by a committee, which is awaiting the completion of the building in Westminster Bridge road—but that is a long time away. It should be possible to provide suitable accommodation in the House, bearing in mind the lavish facilities that are available in the House of Lords, and which are mostly under-used by members of another place. There is also a proposal to provide MEPs with facilities within the House, but surely the needs of disabled constituents, for example, should receive priority.
I know that you cannot make a decision alone, Mr. Deputy Speaker, but I trust that you will add your weight to bringing pressure on the administration to speed up matters. It is less than adequate for so few facilities to be available to our visitors.
Further to that point of order, Mr. Deputy Speaker. I want to reinforce the point made by my hon. Friend the Member for Bradford, South (Mr. Cryer). Having not only met members of his visiting party this morning, but taken around pupils from Donaldson's school for the deaf and others, I know that the problem he mentions is one faced by all right hon. and hon. Members. Most of us find ourselves hosting a party of handicapped persons at some time or another, and better facilities should be provided.
Further to that point of order, Mr. Deputy Speaker. My hon. Friend the Member for Bradford, South (Mr. Cryer) mentioned the proposal to provide facilities for MEPs. It is a fact that the Leader of the House is considering proposals to extend federalism into the House. MEPs will be allowed to use its facilities, and will be found rooms at a time when, as my hon. Friend says, he is campaigning along with many other hon. Members for proper meal and other facilities for constituents on visits to Parliament. It is high time that the Lord President was told by Mr. Speaker that he should make sure that, instead of allowing people from the Common Market to come here willy-nilly, priority should be given to our constituents.
It says something about our society when the Government are more concerned with setting up avocado soup kitchens for distressed Lloyd's members than they are about people from Bolsover.
Order. As hon. Members have said, the matter is now being considered by the Services Committee, and I can suggest only that hon. Members may wish to draw to the Committee's attention the incidents that occurred today.