Asbestos count rises as Parliament restoration vote remains unscheduled

More than 1,650 asbestos-containing items are recorded across the Palace of Westminster and the wider parliamentary estate, according to BBC reporting, as MPs face renewed calls to decide how to refurbish the building. The figure is 500 higher than in 2021, the BBC said, citing a Freedom of Information request.

The BBC reported that parliamentary authorities found more asbestos during surveys ahead of the planned restoration. Although 700 items have been removed over the past five years, the recorded total has risen. Almost 200 items are classed as medium risk under Health and Safety Executive guidance, the broadcaster reported; most are in concealed areas and classed as low risk.

The discovery comes as Parliament considers a major restoration programme. A Public Accounts Committee report published on 4 November said MPs and peers had enough information to debate and vote on narrowing the options under consideration and authorising an initial phase of work. The committee did not endorse a particular option.

Each year of delay adds up to £420 million to the programme’s potential lifetime cost, the committee said. The Clerks of both Houses estimated that delaying the vote beyond the summer until the end of 2026 had added £290 million. These are programme-cost estimates, not the price of a specific restoration option.

Vote still awaits a date

The vote had been expected before Easter but had not happened by the committee’s report. The BBC said government whips had discussed holding it before the end of the year, but no date had been scheduled.

The vote would decide whether to authorise up to £3 billion of Phase One works over seven years and reduce the four options being developed to two. The committee said the initial vote would inform further work, with a final decision on the main restoration approach due by 2030.

The options vary substantially in cost and duration. Full decant, in which both Houses move out for much of the work, is estimated at £11.1 billion to £15.6 billion and 19 to 24 years. The Enhanced Maintenance and Improvement plus option, which would move the Lords out for eight to 13 years while the Commons remains on site for most of the programme, is estimated at £19.5 billion to £39.2 billion and 38 to 61 years.

The committee also warned of risks around temporary accommodation, including delays to refurbishment of the Northern Estate, intended for the Commons, and the acquisition of the Queen Elizabeth II Centre for the Lords. It said governance was too complex and called for clearer accountability and stronger public scrutiny.

Parliament’s authorities said the estate could not be made asbestos-free in practice without demolition or extensive damage to the building. A parliamentary spokesperson told the BBC that the safety of people working on and visiting the estate was its “absolute priority”, citing monitoring, training and plans for further removal.