The Commissions have asked for further options to be explored but is unclear how the higher costs, greater duration and added risks, including extraordinary health and safety risks, of a continued presence during the building works can be managed. The Delivery Authority told us in March that although it is technically possible to plan for options involving some element of continued presence, this would lead to higher costs, take an enormously longer time (an extra 15 to 48 years), and create extraordinary health and safety risks. It may also require changes to the way Parliament operates. Initial work found Parliament operating alongside a construction site would lead to potentially unacceptable disruption, noise and fire risk. It would also increase the potential for exposure to airborne asbestos which will require extensive works to remove. The Delivery Authority is currently letting the contracts for intrusive surveys, having undertaken initial investigations. The House of Commons Trade Union believes that “the ongoing viability of the Palace of Westminster as a safe workplace is at stake and … anything less than the full decant envisaged under the Act would put that at risk”. When asked, the Clerks could not clearly answer if they could manage the risks to users of the building should the House of Commons maintain a presence in the Palace during the works. The Clerk of the House of Commons recognises there will need to be a full decant for some time at least. Recommendation: The Clerks should set out the threshold of risk they are willing to accept during the works and report back on this level of risk, the trade-offs they feel are possible and how this impacts the potential approach to work. The Delivery Authority should progress the intrusive surveys during the summer to determine what the asbestos removal plan should be, including whether it is safe to remain in the Palace whilst these works take place.