Bill introduced to oversee multi-billion pound renovation of Palace of Westminster

The Parliamentary Buildings (Restoration and Renewal) Bill aims to ensure the Restoration and Renewal Programme will be delivered in a similar way to the 2012 London Olympics.

The Bill will establish a Sponsor Body made up of parliamentary and external members, which acts on behalf of Parliament and will oversee the delivery of the works; and a Delivery Authority equipped with the expertise to keep costs down and manage a project of this complexity.

A number of financial safeguards are also written into the Bill, including an Estimates Commission made up of parliamentarians to scrutinise the Sponsor Body’s spending plans.

Liz Peace, chair of the shadow Sponsor Board of the Restoration and Renewal Programme, said: “I welcome the government’s Bill as another significant step towards protecting the Palace for generations to come.”

Meanwhile design proposals for Parliament’s Northern Estate have been launched for consultation.

The plans include a new temporary House of Commons Chamber as well as work-space for all 650 MPs and their staff within a single secure site.

It follows the decision of Parliament in 2018 to temporarily move out of the Palace of Westminster to allow essential building work to take place. Work is estimated to start in the mid-2020s.