Sue Gray's report said “The excessive consumption of alcohol is not appropriate in a professional workplace at any time."

Agreed, DaisyAnne.

Mobile phone use is not appropriate in all jobs, but these people aren't on a production line, or serving customers in a shop, and I don't see the harm in it, really. A lot of the conversations will be about car parking in a constituency miles away or something else not relevant to them. Is it not a better use of the time to check emails from their own constituents, or similar, rather than sitting about feigning a polite interest in something they have no influence over?

I don't know why people always assume that employees of any description need close supervision to prevent skiving and 'taking advantage', when most people can work at home or be in charge of a smartphone without doing either. The way to deal with it is to punish abusers, not make life difficult for everyone.

They shouldn't be allowed to drink when 'on duty', or be able to be in the HoC under the influence, though. Given that they are usually miles from home, and need to have conversations that can't be overheard by journalists and so on, however, I can't see the harm in having a bar or restaurant on the premises - but neither should be subsidised, IMO.

Bars should be closed. Only because as I mentioned earlier, all government departments around the country had an alcohol ban.

We used to drink like fish. Not me, don't really like it. But lots of unhappy people and we couldn't understand why the HoC still had their bars.

I can see immediate pluses to closing down the subsidised bars, etc.

Firstly, unless they are entertaining for the sake of the country - not them, not their party - they should be able to claim an amount back. This will provide business for restaurants and sandwich shops locally and hopefully save money.

Secondly, we are always being told that there is not enough office space in the HoP. Closing bars and dining rooms would free up extra space.

I expect there are more.

Allsorts

I don’t think alcohol should be in the workplace, also no mobile phones on , until lunch breaks and out of the office. It is extremely rude and how can you be doing your job properly?

Not sure how I'd have coped without my mobile phone at work.

Working in the CS it was invaluable for the job I did.

Before mobile phones a chore would take 10-15 minutes gazing at aperture cards and maps.

Mobile phones had. the answer in less than a minute.

Marvellous boon to the office.

Allsorts

I don’t think alcohol should be in the workplace, also no mobile phones on , until lunch breaks and out of the office. It is extremely rude and how can you be doing your job properly?

Many people need their mobile phones to do their work. I wonder what sort of work you are assuming all these people are doing. Life is changing, has changed; we need to change with it.

(But they don't need to drink to do their job)

Absolutely agree Iam64 MPs are there to do a job like any other employee yet they are given so many privileges - why ?
Shameless is the right word for such entitled behaviour.

That’s a good point Aspen. Ludicrous to have subsidised booze
This is the same over privileged lot who voted to cut the £20 uplift to UC. Also, to have people employed in hospitals pay to park their cars at work
Shameless

They work in a museum of a building with out of date rules and regulations and the prices on their food and drinks menus are in line. Starters all under £4, mains under £10, spirits between £3 and £4. Nice work if you can get it.

I don’t think alcohol should be in the workplace, also no mobile phones on , until lunch breaks and out of the office. It is extremely rude and how can you be doing your job properly?

I agree it is not appropriate in any workplace, and just a quick half at lunchtime counts just the same for the whole list of reasons that have been mentioned.

I worked in public service, working directly with service users and multi discp agencies. In the early 80’s it was commonplace for colleagues to have a pub lunch, many including an alcoholic drink. By the mud 80’s the culture was changing, the occasional lunch out of the office took place but no one drank alcohol. We weren’t directed, we realised one drink could leave the small of alcohol, which was offensive to the people we were paid to support.
That’s the key point surely, we employ these mp’s we pay their wages. We have significant substance misuse problems in the UK. We don’t need people under the influence of alcohol or Columbia’s marching powder supposedly running our country

yes that's a good point.
someone rang lbc to say that the lowliest sweeper-upper at westminster station is absolutely forbidden from reporting for work having consumed any alcohol/drugs.
the station of parliament, down whose stairs many MPs stagger, and have to be watched out for by station staff, lest they have an accident.

Many, many years ago it was considered ok to have the occasional drink at work for Christmas and odd ‘celebrations’, even in government offices ( I know, I was there). Just like with smoking, that has long gone now. Although it has long been a tradition among Parliamentarians to have alcohol on the premises of what is after all their workplace, I think it is appropriate to move with the times and to no longer officially allow it as part of the boys club that Westminster often appears to be. Restaurants and other food outlets of course are fine and necessary (as long as dry). But actually I doubt that will change the culture as it will be all too easy to sneak in the bottles if required. Plenty of private offices after all! And let’s not totally apportion the blame to the men; in today’s. world women are just as capable of liking the odd tipple or more! On the plus (?) side, if the rules were broken it’s yet ANOTHER stick to beat politicians over the head with by our media and does a good job of deflecting criticism of the REALLY important issues this country is facing.

Wouldn't better awareness and regulation be enough? No need to be over puritanical. All MPs to be warned to stay sober; bar servers encouraged to refuse people who've clearly drunk enough; television cameras to home in on people who are asleep in the chamber.

Surely many, many of us used to go out of the office for lunch with a drink from time to time with no ill effects.

However near other bars and restaurants may be it's a security hassle and a half to get out and in again.

Casdon

I can’t think of any circumstances at all in which it is appropriate to drink alcohol at work. It’s been banned for NHS employees for over 30 years.

My DH worked for the railways all of his working life. All staff had regular alcohol and drugs tests including admin staff.

A quote from 'Iolanthe', the Gilbert & Sullivan comic opera written in 1882

When in that House MPs divide,
If they've a brain and cerebellum too,
They have to leave that brain outside,
And vote just as their leaders tell 'em to

Nthing has changed much in 140 years

Of course, most MPs aren't making decisions about legislation for our country. They're just there to make up the numbers. They vote as they are told to, regardless of their own views on what they are voting for.

In a way it's immaterial whether or not they follow debates in the chamber or spend the time scrolling for tractor porn on their phones.

Except some aren't as one junior MP reported to businessinsider - see upthread

party whips "would much rather some members, especially those more rebellious ones, get inebriated so they are easier to guide as to which lobby to go through" when voting.

Iam64

I’d ban alcohol in the HoC. The workplace is inappropriate for the consumption of substances that lower inhibitions or distort clear thinking/

Heaven forbid that they are sober when making decisions about legislation for our country.

It seems that many MP's need to grow up and behave themselves. And there should be no alcohol whatsoever.
But also I do think their working hours should be regularised.

No, the short answer is we don’t know. OakDryad Sun 01-May-22 23:07:12

I bow to your obviously better trained mind.

I’d ban alcohol in the HoC. The workplace is inappropriate for the consumption of substances that lower inhibitions or distort clear thinking/

www.google.com/amp/s/www.thelondoneconomic.com/politics/campaign-to-end-subsidised-food-and-alcohol-in-parliament-reignited-following-free-school-meal-snub-206760/amp/

I think one of the problems is that Parliament has no clear working hours, so that MPs, as well as having working hours are also often there, for many extra hours waiting for votes, to meet people etc.
e
Years ago, in the days of main frame computing, a friend's husband, would do a full days work but, with colleagues, often have to wait until 8.00pm or 9.00pm until their allotted time to use the computer came up, and almost inevitably they would end up in the pub and/or the chippy. I suspect something similar lies behind a lot of Parliamentary drinking.

I have been to the House of Commons several times to visit and talk to my MP and each time we have been taken into the bar to discuss the issue I was there for. I think we were taken to the bar because it was a large area with comfortable seating, where it was easy to talk in a relaxed manner. Looking at images online of the tea rooms it looks more like a restaurant, with chairs round tables laid up to eat.

What is needed is for bars ot be turned into cafes offering comfortable informal seating and light non-alcoholic drinks.

For the record, I have never drunk alcohol on any of my visits to the H of C, just coffee or soft drinks.

No, the short answer is we don’t know.

I see that Kwasi Kwarteng is today using the same intense environment, long hours defence as Ben Wallace over misogyny, harrassment and other bad behaviour.

The KCL study observed that:

Work-related stress is known to be associated with long working hours and time pressures, lack of emotional support, family and constituency problems and job insecurity. It is also associated with risky drinking, especially in work environments where alcohol is readily accessible.

Over three quarters of the participants in this study were unaware of the Parliamentary Health and Wellbeing Service. Given the considerable stigma associated with mental health problems, there is a need for MPs to be better informed about their own wellbeing service, to reduce stigma and improve help seeking within Parliament.

They have to admit there’s a problem though and we come back to the fact that Parliament, for the most part, polices is own behaviour and do a poor job of it. And as the businessinsider report showed, it works to the whips’ advantage to have a culture of drinking.