A senior Parliamentary report has stated that the Houses of Parliament requires a renovation if it is to avoid a catastrophic event.
The report discovered that the buildings were at risk from potentially deadly fires, collapsing roofs, crumbling walls, leaking pipes and large quantities of asbestos.
It is estimated that this refurbishment would cost the taxpayer around £4.3 billion. However MPs have insisted that renovations are essential and work needs to be carried out to renovate the ageing mechanical and electrical services inside the Commons and Lords.
If renovations do go ahead a temporary Commons chamber could find a home in the courtyard of the Department of Health’s current offices in Whitehall, while the Lords could sit in the nearby Queen Elizabeth II conference centre. It is expected that both Houses would need to approve the temporary move.
There are some who have raised concerns over the project, chief executive of the Tax Payers' Alliance, John O'Connell said that historically refurbishments and building work on the Houses of Parliament have often been over budget. He added: ''It seems like this is the least bad option, but it is still an almighty bill for taxpayers to foot. It would be unacceptable for hard-pressed families to be stung for even more of their cash later in the project.''
