#WestminsterRR
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ameakin.bsky.social
Departure of Powell means we'll be onto the 11th Leader of the Commons since the Restoration and Renewal of the Palace of Westminster programme programme started (Oct 2012) and with no actual decision on when the work will start and how it should be done #WestminsterRR
samfr.bsky.social Sam Freedman @samfr.bsky.social · Sep 5
Reshuffle has started

Lucy Powell out as Leader of the Commons

Ian Murray out as Scottish Secretary
September 5, 2025 at 1:46 PM
ameakin.bsky.social
There's a very helpful timeline, which shows that if MPs and Peers refuse to decant, the Palace of Westminster will be a building site until 2086 (and that would be without any further delays). Glad to know that I'll be able to continue my research until I'm 102... #WestminsterRR
A timeline for R&R from pages 21-22 of this link: https://committees.parliament.uk/publications/51442/documents/285576/default/
February 5, 2026 at 2:25 PM
ameakin.bsky.social
Brilliant scoop from the always excellent @sophiealichurch.bsky.social at @politicshome.bsky.social: The QEII Centre *finally* agreed as the decant location for the Lords during Restoration and Renewal www.politicshome.com/news/article... #WestminsterRR
House of Lords To Move To QEII Centre While Parliament Restored
The House of Lords is set to move to the QEII Centre while Parliament is restored, no matter which option for the estate’s restoration is eventuall...
www.politicshome.com
July 3, 2025 at 6:29 PM
ameakin.bsky.social
Four small fires in the Palace of Westminster last year - a building that can only stay open due to fire wardens patrolling 24/7 #WestminsterRR
Answer Lord Gardiner of Kimble Non-affiliated Life peer Lords Answered on 20 January 2025 The number of small fire outbreaks in the Palace of Westminster each year from 2014 to 2024 are as follows: Year Number of Incidents 2014 5 2015 6 2016 10 2017 4 2018 4 2019 3 2020 1 2021 2 2022 1 2023 5 2024 4
January 22, 2025 at 1:51 PM
ameakin.bsky.social
Also essential for anyone trying to understand the Restoration and Renewal of the Palace of Westminster! @bymyong.bsky.social is *the* expert on parliamentary governance and this is brilliantly written ukconstitutionallaw.org/2025/02/13/b... #WestminsterRR
bymyong.bsky.social Ben Yong @bymyong.bsky.social · Feb 13
Parliament is a ‘they’. But it is also an ‘it’.

Trying to expand my audience to public lawyers, parliamentary nerds and … metaphysicians
February 13, 2025 at 9:14 AM
ameakin.bsky.social
Fab R&R report from @estwebber.bsky.social "UK’s crumbling parliament even harder to fix than Notre Dame, MPs told" #WestminsterRR www.politico.eu/article/uk-c...
UK’s crumbling parliament even harder to fix than Notre Dame, MPs told
Plans to move MPs out of the famous building while major works are carried out were first approved in the wake of Paris’s 2019 Notre Dame fire.
www.politico.eu
January 23, 2025 at 5:40 PM
ameakin.bsky.social
A valid point and one which may suggest a failure of the current governance of the Commons - the Leader of the House and HoC Commission (chaired by the Speaker). There hasn't been a debate on R&R in this Parliament - or actually since July 2022 (I think - still in xmas mode) #WestminsterRR
antoniabance.bsky.social Antonia Bance MP @antoniabance.bsky.social · Jan 1
I am just quietly going to say: no-one has asked the current group of MPs yet, and they are a pretty different bunch to the last lot
January 1, 2025 at 7:57 PM
ameakin.bsky.social
Back at my desk and catching up on the R&R news. Here's a classic QTWAIN (or if yes, they'll change their minds again later). Here for Lord Dobbs' sage advice though: Will 2026 be the year MPs and peers agree on how to repair Parliament?
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article... #WestminsterRR
The building is "just waiting for some disaster", says House of Cards writer and peer Lord Dobbs. He says his advice to visitors is: "If they see somebody running please don't stop to find out why they're running, just follow them." Former Labour minister Lord Hain agrees something needs to change. "This is a Notre Dame inferno in the making," he says in a reference to the Parisian cathedral which caught fire in 2019. "The Commons could burn down at any time."
January 5, 2026 at 10:49 AM
ameakin.bsky.social
Also, come for the QEII scoop, stay for the drive-by on Speaker Hoyle from a member of the Restoration and Renewal Client Board #WestminsterRR
PoliticsHome understands that Baroness Smith, Leader of the House of Lords, is in favour of a full decant, and expressed this view at the meeting. While Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle has been pushing for parliamentarians to stay on the estate while work continued, the board member claimed his authority is waning. "Mr Speaker has exercised a very, very strong malign influence, and in the Commons, nobody has wanted to stand up to him, and it's difficult to stand up to him from the Lords," they said. "I got a sense on Monday that his position isn't quite as strong as it was, because it's a new group of MPs on the House of Commons commission, and his arguments were frankly ridiculous."
July 3, 2025 at 6:37 PM
ameakin.bsky.social
Love an R&R shout out on the @hansardsociety.bsky.social Parliament Matters pod - and completely agree with @ruthfox.bsky.social & @darcyxtip.bsky.social about the prospect of getting the promised vote before the end of 2025. Listen/transcript www.hansardsociety.org.uk/news/parliam... #WestminsterRR
Ruth Fox: Yeah and just going back to that question of the state of the public finances, I'm gonna speculate that one decision that will not be made probably by Parliament, before Christmas, but really ought to be is the future of the restoration and renewal of the Palace of Westminster. Again, another theme that we keep revisiting. We have been told in statement after statement that a vote will be held on the future of the restoration and renewal program, and whether or not MPs and peers are going to leave the Palace of Westminster to enable the refurbishment work to take place over a number of years or not, or whether there'll be a partial decant, the Lords will move out and the Commons will move into the Lords. So a number of different scenarios are in play. We are promised that there will be a report and a vote by the end of this year. But given that the leader of the House of [00:37:00] Commons and a key figure on the restoration and renewal governance side has recently changed, of course, once Lucy Powell was removed from cabinet and replaced by the then Chief Whip Officer Alan Campbell. I do rather think that, that again could be kicked into the long grass a bit further. Mark D'Arcy: It's one of these things where they keep promising there'll be a debate in due course and a report in due course, and then it doesn't appear and it's just kicked, as you say, further and further into the long grass. And in the meantime, the Palace of Westminster is essentially being held together with spit and sawdust and running repairs. And there's a risk of fire or some structural collapse and bits of gargoyle falling on people, sewers, whatever it might be, breaking, the sewers bubbling up. I would say that that turns the place into a living metaphor and all sorts of disasters could befall it. And of course, when you have the state opening of Parliament, just imagine what would happen if the lights went out in the middle of that, leaving His Majesty stranded in darkness as …
October 17, 2025 at 7:54 AM
ameakin.bsky.social
Always a joy to have more of the risks facing the Palace of Westminster spelt out: here's @chrisbryant1962.bsky.social on the Torpedo Room which has been working since 1877 and is one "of the complete vulnerabilities" in the building #WestminsterRR
That set of problems is writ large across the whole underground asset register of the United Kingdom. I do not know whether Members have ever been to the torpedo room here in Parliament—everybody is looking blankly at me, so I guess they have not. It contains an enormous spherical metal object that basically takes all the sewage from inside Parliament and spits it every 20 seconds into the main town drain, which is higher than the drain that comes out of Parliament. It is one of our complete vulnerabilities in the Palace of Westminster. If that were to stop working—it has been there since something like 1877—we would be vacating Parliament for a considerable period. I have alerted the shadow Minister, who wants to talk about the torpedo room. Dr Spencer Sharethis specific contribution Is that a cyber-security vulnerability the Minister has just disclosed to the Committee? Chris Bryant Sharethis specific contribution Well, it is certainly a vulnerability. I started the restoration and renewal process when I was Deputy Leader of the House many years ago. Many people told me that one of the problems in Parliament was the danger of fire, which is certainly the case. We have done some work to make sure the risers cannot take fire from one part of the building to another very rapidly. However, I have always said that just as problematic is everything underneath the building, including both the sewers and the pipework that carries the telecommunications networks. Parliament simply could not work if there were any kind of critical breach .
March 6, 2025 at 8:17 AM
ameakin.bsky.social
Over the weekend we passed the 8th anniversary of the Commons voting for Restoration and Renewal with full decant btw (31st January 2018). 2,921 days later and we've arguably gone backwards, with the same discussions about decant taking place #WestminsterRR
February 2, 2026 at 9:17 AM
ameakin.bsky.social
At Business Qs, Jesse Norman, Shadow Commons Leader, criticised the Restoration & Renewal Client Board for not publishing information he requested at its last meeting in March (or the minutes of this meeting) - describes this as "a disrespect to the Chamber and the Palace as a whole" #WestminsterRR
June 4, 2026 at 10:31 AM
ameakin.bsky.social
It is, of course, a shame that MPs and Peers (albeit in the last Parliament) abolished the independent R&R governance structure which depoliticised these decisions and actually went out to ask members of the public what *they* want from the Palace, a building which belongs to them... #WestminsterRR
July 23, 2025 at 9:37 AM
ameakin.bsky.social
Love the tangible frustration of the Restoration & Renewal Programme Board members that the EMI (Enhanced Maintenance & Improvement) option is not being scrutinised as rigorously as full decant & that MPs' willingness in theory to put up with disruption, will be much lower in reality #WestminsterRR
3. Consideration of costed proposal options: delivery approaches The Board noted that none of the options could start immediately following a decision and that the levels of occupancy determined how temporary services were provided. Board members advocated for EMI to be subject to the same rigorous challenge as the full decant and continued presence options. Board members queried the duration of enabling works being shorter under EMI and requested that the differences between the schedule of enabling works for the different options be set out clearly in the paper on schedule. The Board discussed disruption and noted that EMI would still feel like a construction site as well as the increased levels of disruption caused by regular ongoing change and continuous flux rather than one big change. Mitigations, such as hoarding, would be put in place to minimise these risks and would follow procedures currently followed. The Board noted that there may be a difference between a decision on what stakeholders are willing to tolerate and the reality during construction. The Board discussed the importance of properly understanding disruption. The Board discussed the need for clear information on the timeline for benefits realisation and risk for both the building and building users. The Board pressed for an increased level of exchange of information and constructive challenge between the Strategic Estates and Delivery Authority teams, and noted that there was more that could be done to maximise the expertise in the two teams to develop work on the options. The Board noted that there were issues relating to sharing information between the two teams and that there was an upcoming meeting between officials to discuss parliamentary controls on information.
April 1, 2025 at 12:18 PM
ameakin.bsky.social
Yes yes yes to getting the R&R debate into the public and highlighting how the sometimes unreasonable demands of MPs have continued to determine how the programme is run - despite these same MPs then losing their seats #WestminsterRR
The crux of the issue is that there needs to be a complete reset of the R and R programme. The books need to be open to the public, and we need to bring the public into the debate about how we balance the needs of a world heritage site with modern security, accessibility —for example, for those with a disability—and value for money. Updated costs need to be presented. Currently, millions of pounds are being spent working up multiple options, despite our now being in the fifth year of this work. Indeed, those options are gold-plated, often based on decisions taken by Members who are no longer in the House. There is remarkably little visibility of this issue.
July 23, 2025 at 9:37 AM
ameakin.bsky.social
Extra extra thanks to @kateaniconic.bsky.social and @alexprior.bsky.social for being co-authors extraordinaire! Our chapter on Spaces and Places in Parliament includes a case study on how the Restoration and Renewal programme has considered disability access. Spoiler alert... #WestminsterRR
At the time of writing, fears of the cost and length of the necessary repairs have stalled the R&R programme, with little sign that progress will be made in the near future. The ‘shame’ felt by MPs when escorting disabled constituents round their parliament building will therefore continue. This case study has highlighted the challenge of focusing on the Palace purely as a ‘space’, given the broader meanings ascribed to the space, and in doing so has sought to explain why, despite widespread recognition of the poor facilities for disabled people working within or visiting parliament, the building remains hugely inaccessible.
March 25, 2025 at 9:13 PM
ameakin.bsky.social
New answer to Lord Hain PQ reveals that asbestos-containing materials found in 1057 places to date in the Palace of Westminster. Still hard to see how the Palace can be repaired without a decant, if you want to protect staff and visitors from asbestos during the building works... #WestminsterRR
Palace of Westminster: Asbestos The Senior Deputy Speaker written question – answered at on 10 March 2025. Alert me about debates like this « Previous answer All Written Answers on 10 Mar 2025 Next answer » Photo of Lord HainLord Hain Labour To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker, further to the Written Answer by the Senior Deputy Speaker on 17 February (HL4749), what are the specific quantities of asbestos found in the Palace of Westminster, and what assessment has been made of the risks of asbestosis. Tweet Share Hansard source (Citation: HL Deb, 10 March 2025, cW) Photo of Lord Gardiner of KimbleLord Gardiner of Kimble The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, The Senior Deputy Speaker, Chair, Standing Orders (Private Bills) Committee (Lords), Chair, Standing Orders (Private Bills) Committee (Lords), Chair, Committee of Selection (Lords), Chair, Committee of Selection (Lords), Chair, Liaison Committee (Lords), Chair, Liaison Committee (Lords), Chair, Hybrid Instruments Committee (Lords), Chair, Hybrid Instruments Committee (Lords), Chair, Procedure and Privileges Committee, Chair, Procedure and Privileges Committee Asbestos containing materials (ACMs) are present across the Palace of Westminster, to date a total of 1057 items have been identified. The assessment of risks is determined by management surveys that identify and where deemed necessary the ongoing monitoring the condition of any ACMs. The purpose of the management survey is to identify the presence, material score (condition) and proximity risk (e.g. how likely the ACMs are to be disturbed). Where management surveys identify a significant risk related to the ACMs they are removed by a licenced asbestos removal contractor. Where more invasive works are planned across the Palace such as for construction projects, refurbishment or demolition, a survey is undertaken and where ACMs are identified and where practicable, planning is made for removal. There is a program…
March 13, 2025 at 10:44 AM
ameakin.bsky.social
The Telegraph implying that the £108m cost of R&R is solely due to officials, without mentioning that a huge part of the cost is due to MPs repeatedly asking for more reviews/failing to take a decision www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/202... #WestminsterRR
Screenshot of story from the Daily Telegraph website. Headline reads: Officials spend £108m of taxpayers’ money on Parliament refurb before work has even begun Palace of Westminster restoration could take decades and eventually cost over £20bn There's a photo of building works on the Palace of Westminster
January 13, 2025 at 10:30 AM
ameakin.bsky.social
This matters because ££££ is currently being spent on yet another attempt to find a way for the necessary works to be done without MPs leaving the Palace - because the Commission thinks that MPs won't tolerate a decant. But no evidence this is based on the views of the 2024 Parliament #WestminsterRR
January 1, 2025 at 8:05 PM
ameakin.bsky.social
My PhD thesis covered the slow progress of the Restoration and Renewal Programme between 2012 - 2018. It's incredibly depressing that things have gone backwards since but all the reasons why (esp the importance of the Leader of the Commons) are here: etheses.whiterose.ac.uk/25694/ #WestminsterRR
Understanding the Restoration and Renewal of the Palace of Westminster - White Rose eTheses Online
etheses.whiterose.ac.uk
January 1, 2025 at 2:56 PM
ameakin.bsky.social
One final thing on R&R: Next week it will be seven years since the Commons last divided on the issue of decant (moving out during repairs). Of the 455 MPs who voted on 31 Jan 2018, only 35% (161) are still in the Commons. Revisiting the issue with the current intake is long overdue #WestminsterRR
January 22, 2025 at 2:33 PM
ameakin.bsky.social
Reminder that back in 2023 the Public Accounts Committee heard that "Removing asbestos from the Palace could require an estimated 300 people working for two and a half years while the site was not being used" #WestminsterRR publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm5803/cm...
Restoration & Renewal of the Palace of Westminster – 2023 Recall - Committee of Public AccountsUK ParliamentDownload iconShare icon
Report by the House of Commons Committee of Public Accounts, with recommendations to government
publications.parliament.uk
March 13, 2025 at 10:44 AM
ameakin.bsky.social
Lots of R&R stuff this week! Today in the Commons @ollyglover.bsky.social flagged the need for Restoration and Renewal to engage with the 7,000 staff working in Parliament, and Treasury Chair, Meg Hillier, argued that these staff can be best supported by protecting their safety... #WestminsterRR
Olly Glover I thank the hon. Member for his answer. As he says, there are 7,000 staff working here who support 650 Members of this House and 836 in the other place. As he recognises, it is essential that the needs, wisdom and experience of the people who make the estate a success are heard and fully considered. Will he commit to continuing to run that full consultation and maximising efforts to do so in a way that will ensure the strongest attendance and the best engagement? Nick Smith The hon. Member makes an important point: the whole Westminster village needs to be engaged in this important topic, which affects all of our workplace. Dame Meg Hillier (Hackney South and Shoreditch) (Lab/Co-op) The best way that we can support staff in this building is to ensure that their health and safety is paramount. The three options that are being proposed have radically different health and safety implications. When those options come to the House, will my hon. Friend ensure that the health and safety information is categorically laid out, and can he confirm when the House will vote on those options? Nick Smith Our timetable says that we remain on track to bring the proposals forward by the end of 2025. Those proposals will detail costs, timescales, risks and benefits, and of course my hon. Friend’s point about safety will be foremost in our minds.
February 27, 2025 at 3:39 PM
ameakin.bsky.social
The Speaker's List for tomorrow's Lords debate on R&R has now closed. Earl of Devon listed as well as the Convenor of the Crossbench Peers, Earl Kinnoul. Plus former Auditor General Lord Morse who will be in a good position to speak about the value for money of continued delays... #WestminsterRR
L Berkeley L Best L Blunkett B Bottomley of Nettlestone B Brinton L Colgrain L Davies of Brixton B Deech E Devon 1B Donaghy L Gardiner of Kimble E Kinnoull L Mann L Morse L Vaux of Harrowden
January 15, 2025 at 9:02 AM