UK police investigate after packet containing 'white powder' found in Parliament

LONDON - A suspicious package delivered to an office in the Houses of Parliament contained "non-harmful" white powder, British police has said.

The Metropolitan Police said Tuesday they were investigating an incident in the Houses of Parliament after an envelope containing white powder was found in an office.

The Police announced that they were informed of a suspicious package at 1:36 p.m. local time that had been delivered to an office within the Palace of Westminster, saying the police are now "at the scene and dealing."

The police said the powder was contained in a letter which was assessed by specialists and found not to be noxious.

"The office remains closed at this time, but the rest of the Palace of Westminster is open," the police said in a statement. Detectives from the Met's Counter Terrorism Command have been informed and are investigating.

A spokesperson of the House of Commons also said: "Today the Metropolitan police investigated a small package containing white powder on the parliamentary estate.

"The powder was found to be non-harmful."

The houses of Commons and Lords are in recess so relatively few MPs and peers would have been there, although parliament is also home to thousands of staff and journalists.