To think that a 25 yard shooting range on the Palace of Westminster should not be maintained and staffed at the taxpayers expense?

Not just Eric Pickles although he would be too easy a target - huuuuuge!
We could just get them to form an orderly queue

I'll go along with that Mey.

As sporting facilities go it is not exactly designed to improve the fitness of employees is it. I wonder how much it actually gets used?

They probably have cages with pheasants somewhere in the dungeons and every so often a menial lets a few out and then they bag a few for lunch. I really don't mind them having subsidized food as long as it is very basic and healthy and they are force fed their five a day. But no subsidised alcohol . If we can't have it as cheap as they do then I think the place should be teetotal and they might get something done.

Stansgran Have you any idea what is spent on stocking the wine cellar each year?

Hell of a lot !!!!

Maybe they could take it in turns to be the targets???

I think that's the way my mind was working...................... They could even invite the likes of Tony Blair (+missus) and Gordon Brown..... again

Take away all their perks. Let them pay for them like the rest of us. I agree some companies provide gyms etc but then the taxman takes a chunk saying that it's a payment in kind.

Its disgraceful! When working in local government we didn't get luxuries at all.
Subsidized canteens were all closed by 1999! We even had to buy our own "post it" notes in the end.
At one point staff were told that they could no longer the first floor of the offices to watch the town carnival as it was not fair to local residents for us get such a privilege.

My son works at the Met Office. That's government owned. Got a free gym.

It wasn't long ago (two or three months?) when some MP was claiming that the food in the subsidised restaurants was too expensive. You do wonder if they come from a different planet sometimes, don't you?

From the shooting ranges I have seen I can't imagine the cost of upkeep can be very great, I think a clamp down on spending on food and drink would be far more of a saving. And what about all that first class travel? If there is a security problem let them go by car, if not let them see what the rest of us have to put up with.

I agree with Deedaa. The shooting range seems a good way to relieve the pressure from a frustrating job and there are probably a lot more, more expensive perks which should be abolished first. A lot more.

I think they should take up archery instead. They wouldn't need ear-protectors.

Ancient and noble British tradition of the long bow and all that

They could dress up in Lincoln Green and put feathers in their caps. It would lighten up the drear monotony of the afternoon session. (Boris would approve)