Committee publication · Correspondence · 8 July 2025 · HC 755
Correspondence from the Chair of the Modernisation Committee to Marianne Cwynarski CBE April 2025
From: Modernisation Committee
Summary
The Chair of the Modernisation Committee writes to the Director General of the House of Commons following an evidence session on 1 April 2025 with disabled MPs and former MPs. The letter raises 11 specific accessibility concerns affecting disabled parliamentarians, including heavy doors, insufficient accessible toilets, faulty lifts and toilets, inadequate lighting, poor visual markings on glass doors, inaccessible escalator markings, difficult building entry turnstiles, missing lift audio indicators and Braille, poor signage, inaccessible self-service catering, and high annunciators. The committee requests investigation and timeline responses by 30 May 2025.
Key findings
- Heavy doors without electronic mechanisms could be propped open as standard practice to improve access without requiring assistance requests.
- Significant shortage of accessible toilets around the chamber; investigation and timeline for installation requested.
- Recurring maintenance failures of toilets and lifts disrupting parliamentary estate users; urgent resolution action needed.
- Inadequate lighting in corridors, committee rooms, and external areas (colonnades, New Palace Yard) limiting accessibility.
- Multiple physical barriers identified: glass doors lack high-contrast markings for visually impaired colleagues; escalators and steps lack colourful markings; turnstile entry doors present security-balanced access challenges; lift signage lacks audio indicators and Braille; poor signage (particularly committee room signs) and inaccessible self-service catering without inclusive staff support.
Tone
ProceduralTopics
Key actors
Lucy Powell MP, Marianne Cwynarski CBE, Modernisation Committee, Doorkeeper team, Whips' offices, House of Commons
Notable line
“… require them to ask for assistance. If this makes a space draftier as a result, portable heaters could be employed …”
Key Quotes
“The panel of witnesses candidly shared their experiences of being disabled and MPs, and the various obstacles and issues they had encountered.”
“… it was clear that the challenges facing disabled MPs and others are multi-dimensional, and that efforts to solve these will involve many stakeholders.”
“This would allow colleagues better access and not require them to ask for assistance. If this makes a space draftier as a result, portable heaters could be employed, as accessibility is a key priority.”
Source · parliament.uk record ↗