Ban the sale and consumption of alcohol in House of Commons venues

I would like the House of Commons to ban the sale and consumption of alcohol within House of Commons venues on the Parliamentary estate.

I believe drinking is incompatible in the modern workplace. MPs have a crucial role in passing laws which impacts the lives of the citizens of the UK. I believe that the consumption of alcohol, whilst making important decisions that can have far reaching consequences, is clearly not in the national interest.

The sale of alcohol on the Parliamentary estate is a matter for the House Authorities. As such, a copy of the petition has been shared with them for their consideration and they have provided the following response:

“The Parliamentary Estate is a unique environment that combines workplace, public access, events, ceremonial and democratic functions, and the services provided reflect this wide range of users and activities. Alcohol is served in some venues within the Estate which can be accessed by passholders, including Members, staff and others that require access, as well as visitors who attend for events and functions.

“There are no plans to change the current arrangements. The House Authorities maintain venue management processes and staff training to support safe and moderate consumption and to ensure the responsible operation of catering services. House venues also provide a range of low and no‑alcohol drinks to support individual choice and promote responsible consumption.

“Parliament’s Behaviour Code sets clear expectations about how everyone should behave when on the Parliamentary Estate. Those who choose to drink in Parliament must do so responsibly.”

Office of the Leader of the House of Commons

This is a revised response. The Petitions Committee requested a response which more directly addressed the request of the petition. You can find the original response towards the bottom of the petition page https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/768417