The Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government has spent six months dragging its heels over repealing the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 sections 132 to 138 Designated Area around Parliament Square.
They have not even used the existing legislation to vastly reduce the area covered by the Order which sets out the current extent of the Designated Area.
The House of Lords has had a small debate , following a Question:
HL Deb, 8 November 2010, c4
Parliament Square -- Question
House of Lords debates, 8 November 2010, 2:45 pmBaroness Trumpington (Conservative)
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether any agency is responsible for the removal of those occupying the pavement in Parliament Square.
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Baroness Neville-Jones (Minister of State (Security), Home Office; Conservative)
My Lords, Westminster City Council is responsible for the pavements under its control and the Metropolitan Police are responsible for policing crime and managing protests in the designated area around Parliament. The Government share the public's concern about the current state of Parliament Square and are working with all the relevant agencies to protect this place of national importance. The Government intend to introduce legislation shortly
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Lord Dubs (Labour)
My Lords, the Minister referred to working with several authorities. Will she explain who owns the middle of Parliament Square?
Baroness Neville-Jones (Minister of State (Security), Home Office; Conservative)
My Lords, as many noble Lords may know, the problem is that no single authority owns Parliament Square. Westminster Council has responsibility for the pavements on the southern and western sides of the square and the GLA has responsibility for the pavements on the northern and eastern sides and for the grass. This means that we have to have partnership between these various agencies, and the Government have been involved in fostering that in order to bring about improvement in the square.
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