House of Commons given low hygiene report after mouse poo found

By Jacob Phillips, Local Democracy Reporter

The House of Commons has been given a low hygiene rating after mouse droppings were found in almost 20 different places in the building, it has been reported.

Westminster City council gave catering areas a rating of two out of five after inspectors found rodent poo in 19 separate locations, a freedom of information request sent by The Spectator, revealed.

Council inspectors found excrement in areas including the Debate, Brasserie, Bellamy’s, Banqueting, the Terrace Cafeteria and the Member’s Dining Kitchen, when they visited last month, the publication said.

The local authority’s report is also said to of mentioned, that areas were left unclean and there was a lack of “adequate monitoring” in the building.

The Spectator added that “thorough daily cleaning” was not thought to have always taken place.

Staff in the Commons have now been asked to not store food in their offices and to dispose of food, waste and rubbish appropriately, the publication said.

A Westminster report from 2014 reveals that the Houses of Parliament have historically had a number of problems with pests.

Moths, mice, rats, flies, feral pigeons and herring gulls have all been known to cause issues at Westminster.

The report, published seven years ago, said: “Controlling these pests is a major undertaking, and is conducted by a full-time pest control technician provided as part of the Houses’ pest control contract and a contract for bird control.

“All pest control on the estate is undertaken in accordance with appropriate regulatory standards.”

Moths are a serious worry to some of Westminster’s public collections, in particular the Parliamentary Art Collection.

The report added: “The Parliamentary Art Collection, which includes one of the largest collections of contemporary art textiles in public ownership, is also at significant risk from infestation.

“All are irreplaceable, expensive to repair and it is more cost-effective to prevent this damage in the first place by controlling moth populations.”

Parliamentary staff were also worried about mice chewing through electric cables and there were concerns about rats spreading disease.

Westminster also has an issue with birds causing damage to the building’s stonework in the past.

Birds of prey have been used for eight hours a week to scare off other birds from nesting or feeding.

Pictured top: The House of Commons (Picture: UK Parliament)