Parliament's Palace of Westminster at risk of Notre Dame-style fire, MPs warn

A warning about the building's condition

A parliamentary committee has warned that the Palace of Westminster could face a Notre Dame-style fire or a similar catastrophe if MPs do not resolve how to fund its refurbishment. The cross-party Public Accounts Committee said urgent action is needed to avoid a major fire or comparable disaster and to halt rising costs. The Grade I-listed building, which is also a UNESCO world heritage site, has seen decisions on a full restoration repeatedly delayed amid disagreement over how the work should be done. The committee's chair, Conservative MP Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, described a "political allergy" to making decisions about the estate. He also urged MPs to picture the damage to the UK's morale and reputation that a catastrophic failure would cause.

He warned that inaction could leave the Chamber in darkness during the State Opening of Parliament:

“A lack of action risks, for instance, the Chamber being plunged into darkness during the State Opening of Parliament.”

Rising costs and the restoration bill

Maintenance of the estate currently costs about £1.5m a week, and the committee's report says that without action that figure is expected to reach £2m. Each year of delay adds an estimated £420m to the restoration programme. An estimate puts the full restoration at as much as £40bn, with work potentially lasting six decades. The main refurbishment options have been estimated to cost between £11 billion and £39 billion, according to POLITICO. Parliamentarians have been asked to commit to a seven-year programme of Phase One works, currently capped at £3 billion, which covers procurement and building surveys.

Current level1.5

Expected without action2

Current level

1.5 £m per week

Expected without action

2 £m per week

Data from the article text

Years of delay and a possible December vote

Parliament first voted in 2018 to leave the Palace for extensive repairs, but disagreement over whether to proceed has continued. According to POLITICO, government whips have discussed holding a debate and vote on starting preparatory works in early December, citing three people with knowledge of the plans. Andy Burnham's government has given fresh impetus to the project, which POLITICO reports is more sympathetic to speeding up the process than earlier administrations. Alan Campbell, leader of the House of Commons, told MPs in October that postponement raises costs:

“The longer we postpone it, the more it costs not just to keep this place functioning, but to eventually get round to doing something about it.”

A government aide cited a scenario in which the Palace could be certified unsafe to enter because of fire or structural risk. In that case MPs and peers could still enter, while office staff, caterers and reporters would be blocked.

What comes next

The committee's report asks the clerks of the Commons and the Lords to set out, within the next six months, a plan to engage parliamentarians properly, which it says has been lacking. The eventual options include a "full decant", in which all MPs move to another building. The final option for wholesale restoration will be decided in 2030, when a vote on Phase Two is expected. Until then, the committee says, the figures must be examined carefully to see how they can be reduced.