Editing Palace of Westminster (section)

=== Other traditions ===
The only animals allowed in the Palace of Westminster are [[guide dog]]s, [[police dog]]s and [[Mounted police|police horses]].<ref name="Factsheet G07" /><ref>{{cite news |title=MP's Commons cow protest banned |publisher=BBC News |date=3 June 2008 |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/shropshire/7432814.stm |access-date=22 January 2010}}</ref>

Speeches may not be read out during debate in the House of Commons, although notes may be referred to. Similarly, the reading of newspapers is not allowed. Visual aids are discouraged in the chamber.<ref>{{Cite Hansard |url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm199192/cmhansrd/1992-02-12/Debate-1.html#Debate-1_spnew27|title=Column 983 |house=House of Commons |date=12 February 1992 |access-date=31 May 2008 |column=983}}</ref> [[Applause]] is also not normally allowed in the Commons, but it has since been tolerated in certain cases. Some notable exceptions to this were when [[Robin Cook]] gave his resignation speech in 2003;<ref>{{cite news |title=Cook's resignation speech |work=BBC News |date=18 March 2003 |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/2859431.stm |access-date=3 December 2009}}</ref> when Prime Minister [[Tony Blair]] appeared for the last time at [[Prime Minister's Questions]];<ref>{{Cite news |title=Blair resigns, Brown takes power |newspaper=The Age |location=Melbourne |date=27 June 2007 |url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/World/Blair-resigns-Brown-takes-power/2007/06/27/1182623982652.html |access-date=17 May 2010}}</ref> when Speaker [[Michael Martin, Baron Martin of Springburn|Michael Martin]] gave his leaving speech on 17 June 2009;<ref>{{cite news |title=Martin's parting shot on expenses |work=BBC News |date=17 June 2009 |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/8104311.stm |access-date=13 May 2010}}</ref> and after the resignation statement of [[Robert Rogers, Baron Lisvane|Sir Robert Rogers]], Clerk of the House.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/10808943/Sir-Robert-Rogers-finds-comfort-in-retirement.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220111/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/10808943/Sir-Robert-Rogers-finds-comfort-in-retirement.html |archive-date=11 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Sir Robert Rogers finds comfort in retirement|author=Tim Walker|editor=Katy Balls|date=6 May 2014|work=The Telegraph}}{{cbignore}}</ref> At the start of the new parliament in May 2015, the large influx of new [[Scottish National Party]] MPs flouted the convention and repeatedly applauded their party leader, to the displeasure of the [[Speaker of the House of Commons (United Kingdom)|Speaker]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Wheeler |first1=Brian |title=Why are MPs banned from clapping? |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-32913113 |access-date=3 April 2017 |publisher=BBC News |date=28 May 2015}}</ref>

The status of the building as a royal palace raises legal questions{{mdash}}according to [[Halsbury's Laws of England]], it is not possible to arrest a person within the "verges" of the palace (the palace itself and its immediate surroundings).<ref>{{Halsbury|12(1)|Crown and Royal Family|53}}</ref> However, according to a memorandum by the [[Clerk of the House of Commons]], there is no prohibition on arrest within the palace and such arrests have been effected in the past.<ref>{{cite web |last=Jack |first=Malcolm |title=Arrest of Members and searching of offices in the Parliamentary precincts |url=http://www.parliament.uk/documents/upload/privilege-police-090914.pdf |publisher=UK Parliament |access-date=23 August 2011}}</ref>