MPs tell prime minister to move more quickly on Parliament revamp

Theresa May has been told to speed up legislation that would provide powers to the sponsor board and delivery authority set to take charge of restoring the crumbling grade I listed Palace of Westminster.

The responsibility of overseeing works currently lies with authorities at the Palace of Westminster.

This week former British Property Federation boss Liz Peace was appointed chair of the body that will oversee and manage the revamp of the Houses of Parliament.

The sponsor board, together with its executive team, will act as the single client accountable to parliament and own the budget, business case and scope of the programme. It will also be responsible for overseeing the work of the delivery authority.

But legislation is required for the sponsor board therefore initially it will be set up in shadow form.

Labour MP Chris Bryant, a member of the joint committee of MPs and peers which recommended a full move out of the Palace of Westminster back in 2016 while rebuilding work takes place, told the prime minister at yesterday’s liaison committee – which brings together the chairs of parliament’s select committees to grill the prime minister – that valuable time was being lost.

He said: “The danger is that if we the politicians keep on delaying providing [the board and authority] with the powers, because we don’t have the legislation in place, we add cost and we add risk to the programme.” And he said legislation needed to be in place by next spring.

May said government was creating legislation but added: “We want to make sure there is maximum opportunity for both houses to look at the draft bill.”

Earlier this year, both the House of Commons and House of Lords agreed to temporarily vacate the Palace of Westminster to allow the work on the building to be carried out in one single phase. They also agreed to establish an Olympic-style sponsor board, set up through legislation, and delivery authority to manage the work.

The sponsor board, together with its executive team, will act as the single client accountable to parliament and own the budget, business case and scope of the programme. It will also be responsible for overseeing the work of the delivery authority.

Wates and Lendlease are both working on schemes associated with MPs’ upcoming move out of the House of Commons.

Work is not expected to start on the Palace of Westminster until 2025 at the earliest and will cost at least £3.5bn with Parliament operating from its temporary homes – peers are due to relocate to the QEII conference centre – for around six years.