Restoration and Renewal Recall

Public Accounts Committee Closed Inquiry
Opened: 13 Jan 2023 Closed: 21 Jul 2023 Parliament page
The Committee is recalling senior Parliamentary officials including the clerks of both Houses and the Chief Executives of the Restoration and Renewal Delivery Authority and Sponsor Body, to answer questions on the next steps in the programme. This follows the decision to abolish the Sponsor Body and reopen exploration of … Read more
2 Recommendations
32 Conclusions
1 Report
1 Oral session
4 Letters
1 Event
Activity timeline 8 events
21 Jul
2023
Report published
17 May
2023
Report published
6 Mar
2023
Correspondence
2 Feb
2023
Oral evidence
2 Feb
2023
Correspondence
2 Feb
2023
Correspondence
2 Feb
2023
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · The Grimond Room, Portcullis House
16 Jan
2023
Correspondence
Oral evidence sessions 1 session
2 Feb 2023
View on parliament.uk
Restoration and Renewal Recall
David Goldstone CBE · Palace of Westminster Restoration and Renewal Delivery Authority Dr John Benger · House of Commons Dr Patsy Richards · Restoration and Renewal Client Team Simon Burton · House of Lords
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Fifty-Second Report - Restoration & Renewal of the Palace of… HC 1021 17 May 2023 34 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
21 results
Clear
8 Conclusion Accepted
Fifty-Second Report - Restoration …
Asbestos remains a serious and widespread concern within the Palace of Westminster
Asbestos remains a serious and pressing concern for those who live and work in the Palace and wider parliamentary estate – since 2016 there have been 8 asbestos incidents.16 The Chief Executive of the R&R Delivery Authority informed us asbestos … Read more
Government Response
The Clerks agree, recognizing the need for excellent health and safety performance. They commit to utilizing the Programme Delivery Agreement to set explicit expectations for contractors regarding asbestos management and will implement a robust monitoring framework and assurances. Improvements to incident reporting are ongoing, and a new Director of Parliamentary Safety is being recruited.
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9 Conclusion Accepted
Fifty-Second Report - Restoration …
Clerks rely on contractors for safety, but timely asbestos incident reporting remains an issue
To fulfil their statutory responsibilities, the Clerks rely on others, such as contractors working within the Palace to follow expected processes and meet standards.19 As the Clerks have outlined previously, they have established dedicated processes to help them report and … Read more
Government Response
The Clerks agree, committing to use the Programme Delivery Agreement to set explicit health and safety expectations for contractors, seek assurances on performance, and establish a robust monitoring framework. Improvements to incident reporting are already underway, and a new Director of Parliamentary Safety is being recruited.
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10 Conclusion Accepted
Fifty-Second Report - Restoration …
Recent asbestos incidents highlight ongoing contractor reporting failures and necessitate procedural review
Since then, there have been two further asbestos incidents, one of which the Clerks accepted had not been handled appropriately. In September 2022 a contractor did not inform the Clerks of an asbestos incident or limit the dangers as quickly … Read more
Government Response
The Clerks agree, committing to reiterate health and safety importance and ensure contractors meet standards through the Programme Delivery Agreement and a robust monitoring framework. They confirm improvements to incident reporting and the ongoing recruitment of a Director of Parliamentary Safety to expedite safety structure improvements.
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11 Conclusion Accepted
Fifty-Second Report - Restoration …
Clerks prioritize Palace safety by strengthening teams, but confidence in robust structures is lacking
Managing the safety of the Palace remains a top priority for the Clerks and House Administrations.24 As they have been unhappy about the treatment of several safety issues, which also includes 12 instances of falling masonry, and given an increase … Read more
Government Response
The Clerks agree on the need for robust safety structures and are implementing a Programme Delivery Agreement to ensure high safety standards with contractors. They are also continuing to improve incident reporting and plan to appoint an interim Director of Parliamentary Safety shortly.
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12 Conclusion Accepted
Fifty-Second Report - Restoration …
New statutory instrument implemented revised governance for Palace restoration and renewal programme
Following the House Commissions issuing a joint statement proposing changes to the approach and governance of the restoration and renewal programme in March 2022, the statutory instrument introducing these changes came into effect on 1st January
Government Response
The government outlines key milestones for the R&R programme, including presenting a strategic case to both Houses by December 2023 and approving the Delivery Authority budget by March 2024, with regular quarterly progress reports.
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14 Conclusion Accepted
Fifty-Second Report - Restoration …
Presenting a strategic case to Parliament by year-end is critical for programme momentum.
The Clerk of the Commons told us he felt that the governance was in as good a place as it could be, but recognised that this is a critical year for the programme. Managing the risks to the timetable will … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees it is critical to present a strategic case for the R&R programme this year, confirming it will be presented to both Houses by December 2023. It notes further detailed proposals will follow, with timing for a decision in 2024/2025 subject to a general election.
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15 Conclusion Accepted
Fifty-Second Report - Restoration …
Critical uncertainties persist, making the programme complex and impacting value for money risks.
In 2020 we highlighted how the Programme is made ever-more complex by the number of uncertainties which underpin it, including the condition of the building, interdependencies with other parliamentary building projects, the lack of consensus over where Parliamentarians and staff … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees with the committee's findings on ongoing uncertainties and commits that the R&R Client team will present cost and time estimates in ranges within the strategic case and costed proposal, with the first due in Autumn 2023.
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16 Conclusion Accepted
Fifty-Second Report - Restoration …
Programme costs are predominantly determined by timescale and essential safety-critical works.
The Programme SRO outlined how, given the uncertainties, the Delivery Authority had worked up 30 options to help provide the evidence needed for decision-making. This analysis showed that how the programme was conducted, and on what timescale, had a much … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees with the committee's observations and confirms that the R&R Client team will present cost and time estimates in ranges as part of the strategic case and costed proposal, due for consideration in Autumn 2023.
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17 Conclusion Accepted
Fifty-Second Report - Restoration …
Uncertainty regarding programme scope, with political decision-making identified as the top risk.
The scope of the work, in terms of what a restored Palace would look like and how work would be undertaken, remains uncertain. We asked the Programme SRO about the risk of Parliament being unable to decide how to reduce … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledges the uncertainty in the work's scope and confirms that the R&R Client team will present cost and time estimates in ranges within the strategic case and costed proposal, with the first due for consideration in Autumn 2023, to aid decision-making.
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18 Conclusion Accepted
Fifty-Second Report - Restoration …
Unrealistic parliamentary resolutions necessitate unavoidable trade-offs between cost, accessibility, and sustainability goals.
The Clerk of the House of Commons told us that resolutions passed by Parliament were unrealistic. There will be unavoidable trade-offs between cost, accessibility and sustainability. For example, the Commissions set out health and safety as their primary commitment but … Read more
Government Response
The R&R Client team commits to presenting cost and time estimates in ranges in the strategic case and costed proposal, due to be considered by the Programme Board and Client Board in Autumn 2023.
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19 Conclusion Accepted
Fifty-Second Report - Restoration …
Intrusive surveys reveal ongoing issues, making accurate programme cost forecasting impossible.
The Delivery Authority continues to undertake intrusive surveys to understand as much as possible prior about the Palace before carrying out works. It has compiled over 1,750 technical reports on different aspects of the building. We were told that these … Read more
Government Response
Acknowledging the uncertainties in cost estimates, the R&R Client team commits to presenting cost and time ranges in the strategic case and costed proposal, with the first due for consideration in Autumn 2023.
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21 Conclusion Accepted
Fifty-Second Report - Restoration …
Transparency offers significant benefits for accountability, public engagement, and confidence in major programmes.
This Committee has often set out the significant benefits of transparency for supporting accountability over decision-making, alongside updating and engaging Parliament and the public on progress across critical major programmes. Transparency will also be critical for Parliament and the public … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees on the importance of transparency and details ongoing efforts, including the upcoming annual progress report, regular quarterly reports, published meeting agendas/minutes, and the publication of Independent Advice and Assurance Panel reports.
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22 Conclusion Accepted
Fifty-Second Report - Restoration …
Programme should exemplify transparency by regularly reporting progress and welcoming scrutiny.
In our 2021 report drawing together lessons from numerous programmes we specifically highlighted the importance of Parliament’s own restoration and renewal programme being an exemplar of an open and transparent programme which welcomes scrutiny.50 The Delivery Authority Chief Executive commented … Read more
Government Response
The Clerks and Client Team agree with the committee's observation on transparency and confirm that commitments for regular reporting are being fulfilled, including annual and quarterly progress reports, published meeting minutes, and Independent Advice and Assurance Panel reports.
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23 Recommendation Accepted
Fifty-Second Report - Restoration …
Public support for Palace restoration high but faces challenges from rising costs.
The Clerk of the House of Commons described how restoration and renewal of the Palace would be a ‘hard sell’ to the public. Prior to the reset of the programme, the Sponsor Body estimated that works would cost between £7 … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees with the need for public engagement and confirms that a comprehensive engagement plan is in place for 2023, including a separate plan specifically addressing external engagement to properly inform the public.
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24 Conclusion Accepted
Fifty-Second Report - Restoration …
Achieving parliamentary consensus on Palace restoration direction remains a significant risk.
Members of both Houses play a critical role in approving the forward direction of the programme. Back in 2020, we highlighted the challenges in building consensus across parliamentarians, which continues to be a significant risk.56 The Clerk of the House … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees with the committee's observation on the importance of Member consensus and outlines a comprehensive plan for internal engagement, including direct communications, focus groups, party group engagement, and an information hub, to address this challenge.
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25 Conclusion Accepted
Fifty-Second Report - Restoration …
Parliamentary engagement on Palace restoration has been insufficient, requiring new approach.
In terms of parliamentary engagement, the Programme SRO identified this as an area where the Sponsor Body had previously not done enough.58 In October 2022, the newly established Client Board acknowledged that engagement had not been sufficient, with a new … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees with the committee's observation on past insufficient parliamentary engagement and outlines a new, prioritized approach with senior resources and a comprehensive internal engagement plan with Members.
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26 Conclusion Accepted
Fifty-Second Report - Restoration …
Inconsistent senior political support caused significant changes and pauses in the restoration programme.
We have previously seen the importance of getting senior political stakeholders on side. We reported that in February 2021, upon considering findings from a strategic review, the Commissions agreed the Sponsor Body could spend up to £5 million to carry … Read more
Government Response
The Clerks and Client Team agree on the importance of engagement with political stakeholders and detail a comprehensive plan of ongoing engagement activities with Members, committees, and party groups through various channels.
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27 Conclusion Accepted
Fifty-Second Report - Restoration …
Improving parliamentary engagement is crucial for achieving the ambitious restoration timetable.
The Programme SRO recognises that to achieve the ambitious timetable, the R&R Client Team will need to improve its parliamentary engagement.63 The Programme SRO and Delivery Authority Chief Executive envisage that recent governance changes will lead to more political ownership, … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees with the importance of Member engagement, detailing a comprehensive engagement plan for the remainder of 2023, including regular internal engagement, direct alerts to Members, and an information hub, leading up to the strategic case vote.
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29 Conclusion Accepted
Fifty-Second Report - Restoration …
Corporate Officers of both Houses now hold overall responsibility for building works.
On 1 January 2023, the Parliamentary Works Sponsor Body (Abolition) regulations 2022 came into effect. These set out that the Corporate Officers of the Houses would, acting jointly, “have overall responsibility for the Parliamentary building works.”71 The Sponsor Body’s previous … Read more
Government Response
The Corporate Officers acknowledge their new overall legal responsibility for the building works under the Act, and detail the mechanisms they will use, such as formally recording disagreements, to manage their duties, especially in the event of significant concerns.
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30 Conclusion Accepted
Fifty-Second Report - Restoration …
Clerks face challenges balancing programme accountabilities with Corporate Officer responsibilities.
When we last reported on restoration and renewal in June 2022, we were concerned that the Clerks may have felt constrained in sharing their professional views, as accounting officers, on what the restoration and renewal programme could deliver.74 In addition, … Read more
Government Response
The Clerks acknowledge their legal and statutory responsibilities, including fire safety, and state they would formally record disagreements or object to proposed actions on grounds of propriety, value for money, or feasibility, ensuring their professional views are not constrained.
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31 Conclusion Accepted
Fifty-Second Report - Restoration …
Clerks could face untenable positions if asked to implement unwise or unsafe decisions.
The Clerks recognise the significance of the responsibilities they now hold and the complexities they face when fulfilling and balancing these respective responsibilities. 67 C&AG’s report, Palace of Westminster Restoration and Renewal Programme, HC 315, Session 2019–2021, 24 April 2020 … Read more
Government Response
The Clerks acknowledge their significant responsibilities and state they would record disagreements in formal minutes or correspondence if asked to undertake unwise or high-risk works. They also confirm they would not support construction presenting unmitigated risk.
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Government Response AI assessment · 34 of 2 classified
Accepted 21
Accepted in Part 2
Acknowledged 2
Deferred 7
Not Addressed 2
Total 2 recs + 32 conclusions
Correspondence 4 letters
6 Mar 2023 Joint correspondence from the House of Commons and House of Lords, dated 27 February 2023, following on from the oral evidence session on Restoration and Renewal Recall, held on Thursday 2 February 2023
Parliament page
2 Feb 2023 Sir John Benger KCB, Clerk, House at House of Common, re Asbestos update, dated 1 February 2023
Parliament page
2 Feb 2023 Joint correspondence from Sir John Benger KCB, Clerk, House at House of Common, David Goldstone CBE, Chief Executive, Palace of Westminster Restoration and Renewal Delivery Authority, Simon Burton, Clerk of the Parliaments, House of Lords House of Lords and Dr Patsy Richards, Interim Chief Executive, Palace of Westminster Restoration and Renewal Sponsor Body, re R&R update, dated 30 January 2023
Parliament page
16 Jan 2023 Correspondence from John Benger, Clerk of the House, Palace of Westminster, re update on Asbestos related incidents, Fire incidents and Stone masonry falls, dated 22 December 2022
Parliament page