Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the hon. Member for Perth and North Perthshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, whether the Commission has made an assessment of whether the House of Commons is exempt from workplace health and safety legislation due to Parliamentary privilege.

Under Parliamentary privilege each House of Parliament regulates its own affairs; this includes the application of health and safety legislation. However, Parliament has also undertaken to apply the requirements of health and safety legislation and has made a commitment in the Health and Safety Policy to comply with legislation as if it applied to both Houses.