Westminster maintenance costs £1.5 million a week, MPs say
A UK parliamentary committee expects the bill to reach £2 million a week without action and estimates that each year of delay adds £420 million to restoration costs.
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Maintaining the Palace of Westminster costs about £1.5 million a week, and the bill is expected to reach £2 million without action, the UK House of Commons Public Accounts Committee says. It estimates that each year of inaction adds £420 million to the restoration program.
Decisions on how and when to restore the building, treated as a matter for MPs and peers rather than the government, have repeatedly been delayed amid disagreement over the work and rising costs. The committee’s chair, MP Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, described a “political allergy” to making decisions, The Guardian reported.
Failures and fire risks
The palace has regular plumbing failures, leaking roofs and crumbling masonry, with scaffolding in place to protect against falling material. Outdated electrics are the main source of a persistent fire risk, and fire patrols operate around the clock.
Clifton-Brown warned that a major fire could destroy heritage and cause injuries or loss of life. A Parliament spokesperson welcomed the committee’s scrutiny and said safety work was already under way across the estate for staff and visitors.
Two options remain
Four proposals have been narrowed to two options for MPs to choose from, with the committee saying it is not its role to recommend a particular restoration program. The table gives estimates for the options awaiting a decision, not approved spending.
| Option | Estimated cost | Estimated duration |
|---|---|---|
| Full relocation | About £15.6 billion (about $20.9 billion) | Up to 24 years |
| Staged relocation | About £39.2 billion (about $52.6 billion) | 38 to 61 years |
Under full relocation, staff would move to buildings on the north side of the estate, the Commons to the nearby Richmond House and the Lords to the QEII conference centre. Under staged relocation, the Commons would move into the Lords chamber for up to 2 years.
The committee questions whether temporary accommodation will be available and whether its estimated costs are reasonable, and is concerned that the program is being shaped around accommodation availability rather than accommodation being provided to meet its needs.
Recommendations before a decision
The committee recommends that the Commons and Lords clerks, who are nominally in charge of the process, set out a plan within 6 months to involve parliamentarians. It says that engagement has so far been lacking.
It also calls for stronger cost estimates, a timetable for a main-project decision in 2030 and more urgent work to finalize temporary accommodation. The committee recommends simplifying governance and creating a new restoration and renewal select committee to hold senior officials accountable.
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