Found: Pitkeathley – virtually • Baroness Scott of Needham Market • Nora Senior (external member) • Baroness Smith of Basildon

Found: Lord Newby • Baroness Pitkeathley • Baroness Scott of Needham Market – virtually • Baroness Smith of Basildon

Found: Bull Lord McFall of Alcluith Lord Bradley Lord Newby Lord Gardiner of Kimble (Chair) Baroness Smith of Basildon

Question

To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker, further to the remarks by Baroness Smith of Basildon on 12 June (HL Deb col 1533), whether the cost of £9.6 million for the Peers' Entrance door includes VAT and all other associated costs.

Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble

The cost of £9.6m for Peers Entrance does include VAT. This sum covers both the design, and the construction works at the Entrance.

In addition, £1,500 in maintenance cost have been incurred for call outs where operator or user error have been the cause.

Question

To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker, further to the remarks by Baroness Smith of Basildon on 12 June (HL Deb col 1528), whether the role to oversee the commercial function as a joint department of both Houses is an additional role in the management structure; and if so what is the cost of that role.

Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble

The Parliamentary Commercial Department will be led by a Chief Commercial Officer. This is a new senior role in the management structure which will be responsible for overseeing Parliament’s portfolio of contracts, developing and implementing commercial strategies, and ensuring high-performance procurement across Parliament. The post was advertised in March with an annual salary of circa £150K, in line with market expectations for a role of this seniority and complexity in the public sector. The outcome of the recruitment process will be announced as soon as possible.