Visits to the Gallery of the House of Commons
The Strangers' Gallery is open to the public when the House is sitting, which is usually:
• 14.30 - 22.30 or later on Mondays
• 11.30 - 19.30 on Tuesdays and Wednesdays
• 11.30 - 18.30 on Thursdays
• 09.30 - 15.00 on sitting Fridays,
When the House returns after a recess on a day other than a Monday, the first day will have Monday sitting times.
Recess

The Strangers’ Gallery is closed to the public when the House is in recess. The provisional recess dates announced for the new parliamentary session 2004/05 are:
Recess House will rise House returns

Half Term Week 10 February 2005 21 February 2005
Easter Recess 24 March 2005 4 April 2005
Whit Recess 26 May 2005 6 June 2005
Summer Recess 28 July 2005 10 October 2005

Visits to the Gallery in the House of Lords
The visitors’ gallery is open when the House of Lords is sitting.
Sitting Times
Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 2.30pm
Thursdays from 11.00am
Fridays (occasionally) from 11.00am.
The House normally finishes business about 10pm Monday-Wednesday and at 7.30pm on Thursday.
Recesses
The House of Lords does not usually sit during August, part of September and early October, during the weeks before and after Christmas and for a week or so at Easter and at the Spring Bank Holiday.

Tours of the Houses of Parliament
United Kingdom Residents: during session
People who are resident in this country should contact their local Member of Parliament or a Peer whom they know. If you are unsure of your local Member of Parliament's details please contact the House of Commons Information Office. The MP or Peer concerned can usually arrange for them to take a tour in English or another language. Applications should be made as far in advance as possible. The address for contacting MPs is:
House of Commons, Westminster, London SW1A 0AA
At present, tours are only available on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday mornings and on Fridays – all day if the Commons are not sitting, late afternoon if they are. There will be no access to the Commons chamber after 09.30 on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings.
The following Fridays have been announced as sitting Fridays in 2005:
4 & 25 February; 4 & 18 March; 8, 15 & 22 April; 13 & 20 May; 17 & 24 June; 1 July; and 14 October

Tours for United Kingdom Residents: during recess
During recess UK residents should continue to arrange tours through their local MP. Special arrangements are put in place during Summer Recess. The Palace of Westminster opens in the summer to visitors who can go on pre booked tours of the historic building.

NB: During the summer opening of the Palace of Westminster, people who are resident in this country may also continue to arrange tours through their local MP or a Peer whom they know.

Tours for Overseas Visitors
Due to the recent changes in the sitting hours of both Houses, it is no longer possible to provide overseas visitors with permits to tour the Houses of Parliament during session. Overseas visitors can tour the Houses of Parliament during the period of the summer opening.

Tours for Educational Institutions
Schools or other educational institutions based in this country should normally contact their local MP to arrange a tour of the Houses of Parliament. However, the Parliamentary Education Unit offers a range of educational visits for students years 3 – 10 throughout the year. Visits for older students (KS4) take place in the autumnh. Teachers and others wishing to participate are advised to contact the Parliamentary Education Unit early for further details on all visit programmes.
For all other educational visits, organisers should write to their local MP. An information leaflet, Educational Visits to Parliament, is available from the Parliamentary Education Unit on request.
The contact details for the Parliamentary Education Unit are:

Parliamentary Education Unit
Norman Shaw Building (North)
London, SW1A 2TT
Telephone: 020 7219 2105. Fax: 020 7219 0818
E-mail: edunit@parliament.uk