Dr Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will institute a review of security in Parliament Square, with particular reference to the (a) unlicensed use of amplified noise for prolonged unscheduled periods, (b) effect of such persistent noise on the (i) concentration and (ii) mental welfare of (A) personnel guarding the entrance to Parliament, (B) citizens working in other buildings in Parliament Square and (C) other users of the Parliament Square World Heritage Site; and for what reason political demonstrators are permitted to approach closely vehicles leaving Parliament whilst they are unprotected and stationary waiting to enter the traffic flow.  [63638]

[Due for Answer on 29 October]

ANSWER

The Minister of State for Crime and Policing (Kit Malthouse): We are introducing new measures in the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill to protect the rights of the public from the effects of disruptive protests. These include new police powers to manage unjustifiably noisy protests that may result in serious disruption to the activities of an organisation, and noise that may result in a significant detrimental impact on persons in the vicinity of a protest. We are also granting the police the power to direct individuals to cease obstructing vehicular access to Parliament to ensure the continued flow of traffic into and out of the Parliamentary Estate.