Increased Commercialisation of the House of Commons to Generate Income — 8 Nov 2012 at 14:59

The majority of MPs voted in favour of plans to increase Parliament's income by three million pounds per year by extending its operations as a commercial visitor attraction, additional retail activities, and greater commercial hire of rooms.

MPs were considering the motion:

• That this House
• notes the medium-term financial plan for the House of Commons Administration as set out in Appendix A to the First Report from the Finance and Services Committee (HC 691);
• endorses the intention of the Committee to recommend to the House of Commons Commission a House of Commons Administration Estimate 5 for 2013-14 of £220 million;
• notes the intention of the House of Commons Commission to make savings of 17 per cent in real terms from 2010-11 level by 2014-15 in line with the wider public sector; and
• endorses the Savings Programme as set out in Appendix B to the report.

The amendment rejected in this vote was:

• Amendment (c), in line 8, after ‘report’, insert

‘, save that proposals under the income generation category be deferred for approval to a future date, so that more detailed information is available to Members, and also to give the House a specific opportunity to vote on whether it accepts the increased commercialisation of Parliament.‘

Debate in Parliament | Source |