London's historic Westminster Hall could be made available for hire as part of a package of measures to open up more of the House of Commons to staff and visitors.

A new study by the administration committee has recommended that some of the Commons' restaurants and riverside terrace be opened to the public when Parliament is not sitting. It forms part of attempts to decrease the House of Commons' catering costs by £1.25m over the next four years, which could also see a 'widening' of the sale of parliamentary souvenirs.

While the report backed the principle of hiring out Westminster Hall for events, it conceded that "considerable negotiation" would be required given it is part of a royal palace. Committee chair Sir Alan Haselhurst said: "The catering provided for MPs and the thousands of staff and others who work in Parliament, and the thousands more who visit, needs to be provided as efficiently and cost-effectively as possible.

"The proposals we have made would see substantial cost savings, while opening up more of our facilities to staff and visitors." Image: Luca Grandinetti/shutterstock.com