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Portcullis House: Reflections and anecdotes

"Our new offices allow us to entertain parliamentarians and official delegates from around the world, and show them where we work. In the past, there simply wasn't the room to invite visitors in. Frankly, they would have been horrified by what they would have seen.

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A former MP's opinion

It is also hard to exaggerate the volume of correspondence today's that MPs deal with. My office handles about 250 letters a week, not to mention constant visits, delegations and meetings. New technology is a great help, but decent offices are essential.

On a personal note, imagine my excitement at moving into a set of offices that have an immediate impact. In Portcullis House, I feel even more energetic and industrious - and proud to be an MP. So splendid are they that I even come in on Sunday evenings so that I can start each week on top of my work.

Many MPs work late at night and one of the many strengths of Portcullis House is that at night it takes on a life of its own." (Virginia Bottomley, in ' Ginny's New Palace', Building Review 31 (2000), pp.31-2)

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