Proposals for the program to restore the Palace of Westminster will not be presented to MPs until at least 2025, it has emerged.
Lord (John) Gardiner de Kimble, deputy speaker of the House of Lords, said two options for the development would be presented to MPs and peers later this year, with detailed proposals and costed proposals expected to follow in 2025 .
In May, the Public Accounts Commission warned of a “real and growing” risk that Parliament House would be “destroyed” before work could begin, after “years of procrastination” in organizing a program to rehabilitate the dilapidated buildings.
Last year, plans for a restoration and refurbishment programme, agreed in 2019, were scrapped amid concerns about rising costs. In total, £270m was spent developing the plans and designing the business case before they were cancelled.
Gardiner told a House of Lords debate last week: “Both houses [Commons and Lords] they are expected to have the opportunity to discuss the strategic case before the end of this year, and both will be invited to endorse further work being done on the two shortlisted options.
“Cost proposals are expected to be presented to the houses in 2025, subject to the houses agreeing the strategic case later this year.
“Further work on the shortlisted options will ensure that proposals with cost […] they are as tense, realistic and affordable as can be. Having costing proposals for both short-listed options will ensure that both houses can make an informed, evidence-based and robust decision about the best way forward for the program, recognizing our role as custodians of this historic building to to future generations.”
He said one option would see all parliamentary business moved out of the buildings to allow work to take place, with one chamber, probably the Commons, returning before full completion.
The other option would see MPs stay in the buildings at all times and only the Lords move in to carry out the works.
Substantial work is not expected to begin on the project until 2029.
Gardiner added that more than 7,500 hours of surveys were carried out at the Palace of Westminster in 2022-23 and that participation in the market in 2023 had involved discussions with more than 100 companies about their potential work in the catering.
Lord (Bryn) Davies of Brixton pointed out that the cost of restoration was likely to become an issue at the next general election.
“The big scary numbers will be known at the end of this year or the beginning of next year, so they will certainly be issues within the next election campaign,” he said.
He added that work would begin around a possible subsequent general election four years later.
The Labor father raised the possibility that he would become politically unpopular. “He points to HS2, which was canceled despite having substantial momentum, legislation and support,” he said.
Currently, around £2 million a week is spent on maintenance work on the Parliament buildings.
