Parliament Square

Lord Waddington Excerpts

Monday 8th November 2010 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Neville-Jones]

My Lords, I think my noble friend Lady Trumpington has been very helpful in asking this Question.

[Lord Waddington]

My Lords, it is surely not necessary to spread litter around the place in order to exercise the right to protest. It would surely be perfectly lawful for any citizen to go along and remove all the unsightly litter and the tents without offending against any law whatever. I simply cannot understand why some of us are not enlisted to do precisely that.

[Baroness Neville-Jones]

My Lords, there are many public services that we could all perform in this area. My noble friend and this House are right to be concerned about the encampment, which is at the root of our problems. In the legislation that will be coming forward, it will be very important for Parliament clearly to express its will as regards what it sees as being the rightful use of Parliament Square. We are trying, while safeguarding the legitimate right to protest, to make it clear that encampment and other abuses of an amenity are not permissible.