MPs look to dramatically improve their catering services whilst at the same time cut their annual subsidy by 50%, according to a recent internal report.
Recommendations in the Administration Committee – First Report Catering and Retail Services in the House of Commons – includes ideas such as opening some of the more prestigious banqueting areas including Westminster Hall, part of the Royal Palace, for private rental. Doubtless the availability of such a venue would be welcomed and utilised.
The in-house service employs almost 300 full time staff and costs in the region of £14m to run. It generates revenues of circa £8m, “and, therefore, funding of about £6m is required from the House of Commons administration budget,” said the report.
The catering numbers are significant with 1.7 million meals being served last year. The estimated daily visitor numbers are approximately 13,000 this includes…MPs, peers, civil servants, media and contractors working at the House and visitors.
Sir Alan Haselhurst, chair of the committee, believes that Westminster Hall could be rented out for a fee in the region of £25,000 a night. The Palace has “wonderful facilities and dedicated staff”, but not enough is being done to maximise the revenues that could be made, which is negligent and wasteful.
The report also noted that Westminster Hall is part of the Royal Palace, “so considerable negotiation would be required for such a proposal to be put into effect. Once again, though, from the point of view of both revenue and wider public access to a national asset, we support in principle the idea of hiring out Westminster Hall on a limited number of occasions and for events in keeping with the historic character of the location.”
The report noted that styles of eating have changed over the past 20 years so rising numbers of transactions are more about snacking through the day. The director of the Catering and Retail Service said this mirrors a general trend in workplace catering “where work is increasingly conducted in informal meetings, semi-social situations scheduled throughout the day, often in communal areas such as the catering facilities and accompanied by a tea, coffee or light snack”.
The opening in 2000 of Portcullis House, with its large atrium and restaurant, cafeteria and coffee bar “has considerably accelerated that trend within the parliamentary estate.”
The report said HR and finance costs attached to the House’s Catering and Retail Service appear to be three times the average expected in the commercial sector. “We recommend that steps be taken by the Department of Facilities to find efficiencies in that area.”
The report also wants “the Department of Facilities seek to save £110,000 a year by absorbing light cleaning duties into catering and retail staff duties.”
However, MPs were set against reducing the subsidy if it means “lowering the quality standards required for foodstuffs purchased by the House of Commons, particularly in respect of animal welfare standards”.