Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the hon. Member for Perth and North Perthshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, how (a) social distancing and (b) other covid-19 safety measures will be enforced across the parliamentary estate.

The Commission is receiving regular updates on the social distancing measures introduced to the estate along with the numbers of passholders present and the level of demand for services. These are monitored by the House authorities on a daily basis, and immediate actions taken where required.

It is clear to see the practical steps taken on the estate to enforce social distancing, from the Perspex screens through to the queuing systems. The safety measures can only be supported however with the cooperation of individuals across the estate taking personal responsibility for complying with those measures to keep themselves and their colleagues safe. The Commission fully supports all passholders to say where they feel that someone is not following the social distancing guidelines, and to politely remind them. Should repeated or significant concerns be raised, appropriate steps will be taken to investigate further.