Commons evacuation plan unveiled
New plans to tighten security and set up a chain of command for emergency situations in the Commons were unveiled yesterday.
Sir Michael Cummins, Serjeant at Arms in the Commons and responsible for security, gave the details in a briefing to Commons staff.
If London were contaminated with chemical or biological material Parliament would be evacuated to a secret location outside the capital.
Sir Michael added: “If for whatever reason, either or both Houses are unavailable to sit in their Chambers, alternative locations are planned and available within and outside London.”
Parliament last sat outside London in 1681, when suspected Catholic plots forced MPs to flee to Oxford.
Though it was bombed during the Second World War, MPs sat in the Lords until the building was repaired.
Sir Michael said the terror threat in the UK was “high” and Westminster was viewed as a major terrorist target.
But he added there was “no known specific threat to parliament at this time.”
In an emergency situation the Metropolitan Police will take control of Parliament, changing the centuries old tradition that MPs, Peers and officials have sole control of their own affairs.
And fresh instructions were released on how to handle letters containing contaminated substances.
A temporary security screen to separate the public galleries from the Commons chamber was erected at Easter and MPs have approved plans to install a £1.3 million bullet proof screen to seal off the chamber completely.
The precautions assumed a new urgency after protestors last month managed to pelt the Prime Minister with flour bombs.
