Parliamentary Works Body Spokesman (): In May 2020 the Sponsor Body established a
Strategic Review of the Restoration and Renewal Programme.
The purpose of the review was to consider whether anything had
changed so significantly as to warrant a change in the strategy
for the Restoration and Renewal Programme. Such reviews are a
pillar of established best practice for major projects.
The Sponsor Body invited views from Members, Members' staff,
parliamentary staff and members of the public. The Sponsor Body
also consulted with the Commissions of both Houses, as well as
relevant Parliamentary Committees on the draft Strategic Review
recommendations.
The Sponsor Body's Strategic Review was completed in late 2020
and in the early part of 2021 has been going through a period of
engagement with the Commissions of both Houses of Parliament. It
has been published today.
The review has considered all the evidence available, including
previous investigations and reports and new evidence from surveys
and submissions to the review. It recommends new approaches to
completing the restoration while minimising costs - and provides
a clear direction for the next stages of the work.
Damian Hinds MPThe review recommends the adoption of a set of
'essential' and 'stretch' objectives, to be endorsed by the
Commissions of both Houses. The essential objectives will form
the core deliverables for the Programme, to inform a "do
essential" option in the detailed and costed restoration and
renewal plan. The stretch objectives will offer greater ambition.
The review found that by approaching the restoration in a new
way, with a phased approach to the delivery of the works to the
Palace of Westminster, the time Members and staff would spend in
temporary accomodation could be kept to a minimum. Whilst the
detailed and costed restoration and renewal plan will set out
specific timescales, the period during which works are taking
place in the Palace of Westminster should be thought of in terms
of years and not months.
The review found that Parliament's northern estate, within the
secure perimeter, is the best place for temporarily locating MPs.
Specific plans for these arrangements will be drawn up in
collaboration with Parliament's in-house team, respecting recent
decisions from the House of Commons Commission regarding the
sequencing of works on the northern estate and in line with the
developing parliamentary masterplan.
Members of the House of Lords will be located in temporary
accomodation at the QEII Conference Centre and proposals for this
will have at their heart an objective to minimise costs.
The full text and recommendations of the strategic review can be
viewed on the Restoration and Renewal website:
www.restorationandrenewal.uk/resources/reports/strategic-review
The public want to see this UNESCO World Heritage site, in which
they have told us they take great pride, protected from damage
and decay and at the same time want to see that money is spent
well. Restoring Parliament will create thousands of jobs and
apprenticeships in towns, cities and communities across the UK,
from engineering and high-tech design to traditional crafts such
as carpentry and stonemasonry.
The detailed and costed restoration and renewal plan will be
focused on delivering value for money and will be informed by
around 100 surveys and investigations of the Palace of
Westminster.
The review sets out clear proposed objectives for the restoration
and the need for clearer governance and closer working with
Parliament. Supported by the Delivery Authority, the Sponsor Body
will continue to develop the detailed and costed restoration and
renewal plan that will for the first time give an accurate sense
of the costs, timescales and full detail of the work needed. The
detailed and costed restoration and renewal plan will be put
before both Houses for a decision before the Parliamentary
building works can commence.
