Extract from Business Questions: Restoration and Renewal - Sep 16
Friday, 17 September 2021 08:03
Thangam Debbonaire (Bristol West) (Lab):...Finally, last week I
took a tour of the basement and some of the most damaged parts of
the Palace. I understand that the Leader of the House also recently
took the tour so, like me, he must have seen the high-voltage
electricity lines next to the gas pipes and the wiring that goes
nobody knows where. Has he now revised his previous view that
Restoration and Renewal of this place is just “a little bit of
banging and noise”?—[Official Report, 11...Request free trial
(Bristol West) (Lab):...Finally, last week I took a tour of
the basement and some of the most damaged parts of the Palace. I
understand that the Leader of the House also recently took the tour
so, like me, he must have seen the high-voltage electricity lines
next to the gas pipes and the wiring that goes nobody knows where.
Has he now revised his previous view that Restoration and Renewal of this
place is just
“a little bit of banging and noise”?—[Official Report, 11
March 2021; Vol. 690, c. 1018.]
Does he now agree that we must press ahead with a full
decant, which we have voted for, so that we can get on with
protecting this magnificent symbol of British democracy that we are
so proud of, not for us but for the British people we serve?
The Leader of the House of Commons (
):...As regards Restoration and Renewal the hon.
Lady’s oratory on my views was fundamentally inaccurate. It is well
recognised that work needs to be carried out and that we need to
re-plumb and re-wire. We have already done a huge amount of work
ensuring that the fire safety systems are improved, and we had a
successful fire safety test earlier this week to ensure that the
structure of the building and the lives within the building are
safe. The work is planned and I am supporting it
enthusiastically.
(Alyn and
Deeside) (Lab)
Asbestos.
Mr Rees-Mogg
That is a very helpful heckle. The right hon. Gentleman is a
great expert on this issue and asbestos is one of the key parts of
it.
What I have always been opposed to is spending very large
amounts of taxpayers’ money. We had forecasts of £10 billion to £20
billion for trying to turn this place into Disneyland. That I am
opposed to; that I will continue to be opposed to. We want
rewiring, replumbing and the removal of asbestos, but we do not
want Disneyland.
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