Foi: Lords Complain About Subsidised Restaurant

[Kromovaracun]

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/house-of-lords-is-no-longer-a-place-for-fine-dining-peers-gripe-9102580.html

A freedom of information request has revealed a number of complaints made by peers about the Barry Room private restaurant, which among other facilities is subsidised by the state to the tune of about £1.3 million every year.

The best of them is the following:

"... another said he had been left “scarred” after his dinner booking was cancelled suddenly. He complained that his wife was “unable to lunch elsewhere” because she was wearing a tiara. The Lord recalled: “We were only saved by the kindness of [a fellow peer] who offered us the use of his nearby home to change in and took us out to lunch.”

Does this count as 'scrounging'? Is it a problem? If so, what can/should be done?

Incidentally, do you suppose that the UK's political elites are now regretting ever passing the Freedom of Information Act? It seems to have caused them nothing but trouble!

[wolf63]

I worked as a civil servant and had to pay full whack for meals. I don't understand how the house of lords manage to have subsidised meals.

It's no fair.

[jno]

I think Blair has indeed said his greatest mistake was the FoI act. Not WMD at all.

[emmie]

how do you have an inferior cappuccino, sounds decidedly dodgy..

[youngmafbog]

I'd like to complain about the subsidised restaurant that I have to pay for so clowns like this can eat fine food at my expense.

My complaint is 'why is it there?'

[douglas9401]

Let them eat my shorts.

Nice job of scotching the myth that peers are out of touch with reality. Let's have the buggers away, man the barricades!