Parliament faces catastrophic fire risk without urgent repairs, MPs warn
A cross-party committee warns that failing to decide on a full restoration of the Palace of Westminster risks a major disaster and rising maintenance bills.
At a glance
- The public accounts committee warned that the Palace of Westminster faces a Notre Dame-style fire risk due to repeated delays.
- Maintenance costs could soon hit two million pounds a week, with inaction adding millions to the overall restoration budget.
- MPs must choose between a full decant lasting up to 24 years or a staged approach that could take over six decades.
The Palace of Westminster faces the threat of a catastrophic fire similar to the blaze at Notre Dame if politicians continue to delay decisions on its long-awaited restoration. A parliamentary committee warned that years of political hesitation have left the historic estate battling crumbling masonry, outdated electrics, and regular plumbing failures.
Maintenance on the Victorian building currently costs about one million and five hundred thousand pounds a week, a figure the public accounts committee expects to reach 2 million pounds soon. The cross-party group stressed that immediate action is necessary to curb escalating costs and protect people working inside the building.
Political delay and rising costs
Leading the public accounts committee, Conservative MP Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown described a political reluctance to make firm choices about the building. He warned of the severe reputational damage and danger to life a major disaster would cause.
The committee noted that every year of inaction adds an estimated four hundred and twenty million pounds to the overall restoration programme. Current estimates suggest a complete refurbishment could cost as much as forty billion pounds and take up to six decades.
The choices for refurbishment
Parliamentarians have narrowed down four potential refurbishment plans to two final options. The first is a full decant where staff and members move into temporary spaces nearby, lasting up to 24 years and costing approximately fifteen point six billion pounds.
The second option is a staged decant lasting between 38 and 61 years, which would involve the House of Commons temporarily using the House of Lords chamber. This approach is estimated to cost about thirty-nine point two billion pounds.
Evaluating the choices and future steps
The report highlights a deep tension between the urgent need to protect a Unesco world heritage site and the practical difficulties of finding suitable temporary housing for lawmakers.
By laying out the mounting financial and safety pressures ahead of a targeted 2030 decision, the committee seeks to force parliamentarians to abandon years of indecision and commit to a concrete timeline.
Parliament response
A parliament spokesperson welcomed the scrutiny from the committee. They stated that ongoing work is taking place across the estate to ensure the safety of visitors and staff while broader decisions are weighed.
What to watch: Clerks of both houses are expected to set out a proper engagement plan for parliamentarians within the next six months.
Reporting from: The Guardian. Spotted an error? Tell us.
- Parliament
- House of Commons
- House of Lords
- Public Accounts Committee
- United Kingdom
- Politics