Committees

Restoration and renewal of Parliament

Inquiry

Over a year ago the Committee reported that every week of delayed repairs to crumbling Parliament was costing the taxpayer another £2 million .

The Palace of Westminster Restoration and Renewal Programme, widely endorsed as a necessity to preserve a historically and politically significant building, is at a critical stage: its next formal milestone is for the Sponsor Body to present Parliament with a Programme business case, currently expected in early 2023, for its approval.

To develop the business case, the Sponsor Body and Parliament need to agree what should be included, and the Sponsor Body needs more clarity around critical supporting projects, the condition of the Palace and the desired result of the restoration. Without these, there is a risk that Parliament will spend money without the Programme progressing.

Further delays to the start of critical restoration work will only increase the risk of incidents, which will not always be possible to mitigate, affecting the functions and safety of the Palace of Westminster itself and those that use it.

The Committee will question senior executives at the formally established Sponsor Body and Delivery Authority, as well as the Clerk of the House of Commons and Clerk of the Parliament, on current progress in the programme. If you have evidence on any aspect of the Restoration and Renewal programme, please submit it here by Monday 7 March 2022 18:00.

This inquiry is no longer accepting evidence

The deadline for submissions was Monday 7 March 2022.

Upcoming events

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No upcoming events scheduled

Past events

Wednesday 11 May 2022
1:00pm Private
1:30pm Public
Oral evidence session 11 May 2022
Restoration and renewal of Parliament - Oral evidence
1:30pm
  • Dr John Benger (Clerk of the House of Commons at House of Commons)
  • Simon Burton (Clerk of Parliaments at House of Lords)
  • Sarah Johnson (Chief Executive at Palace of Westminster Restoration and Renewal Sponsor Body)
  • David Goldstone CBE (Chief Executive at Palace of Westminster Restoration and Renewal Delivery Authority)
DfE Recall: SEND Review, Schools White Paper and the National Tuition Programme - Oral evidence
2:30pm
  • Susan Acland-Hood (Permanent Secretary at Department for Education)
  • Indra Morris (Director General of Families Group at Department for Education)
  • Stephanie Brivio (Acting Director of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities and Alternate Provision at Department for Education)
The Grimond Room, Portcullis House
Monday 14 March 2022
3:10pm Private
4:00pm Public
Restoration and renewal of Parliament - Oral evidence 14 March 2022
4:00pm
  • Sarah Johnson (Chief Executive at Palace of Westminster Restoration and Renewal Sponsor Body)
  • Dr John Benger (Clerk of the House of Commons at House of Commons)
  • Simon Burton (Clerk of Parliaments at House of Lords)
  • David Goldstone (Chief Executive at Palace of Westminster Restoration and Renewal Delivery Body)
Room 16, Palace of Westminster

Contact us

  • Email: pubaccom@parliament.uk
  • Phone: 020 7219 8480 (strictly media enquiries only – contact us via our email for general enquiries)
  • Address: Public Accounts Committee, House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA