Westminster restoration contractors ‘could earn £30m before work begins’

Neil Gray MP, a member of the Joint Committee set up to review the findings of an independent report into the restoration options which range from £3.5 to £5.7 billion, has raised concern reported in the Independent about the issuing of the notices for contractors before a date has even been set for the first meeting of the committee.

Mr Gray will now write to Richard Ware, the director of the restoration and renewal programme at the Palace of Westminster, to ask for clarification on why contractors have been briefed before a restoration option has been chosen.

Neil Gray MP said: “It is extremely concerning that preparations for this vast taxpayer-funded project seem to be progressing full-steam ahead without any actual scrutiny whatsoever.

“These works should have been addressed years ago and now the Palace of Westminster has been left to fall into such a state of disrepair that the proposed costs are truly astronomical but that does not mean that money should be spent here, there and everywhere on architects that do not even know what they will be designing yet.

“It is truly baffling for contractors to be given the opportunity to bid for work which has not yet been agreed by MPs.

“This renovation presented an opportunity to bring Parliament closer to the people by moving it around the country like the Scottish Government’s summer cabinet, which met in Oban this week, but if contractors are being briefed without the knowledge of MPs it calls into question the transparency of the process.

“Urgent clarification is needed on why these notices have been drafted and exactly what work is being advertised to contractors.”