New MPs and staff at risk of unsafe buildings and vermin

Thousands of new parliamentary staff are at risk from crumbling buildings, fire, asbestos and vermin as the restoration of the Palace of Westminster remains in limbo.

- ARCHIE MITCHELL

The massive turnover of MPs and their staff at the general election means many of those working on the estate are unaware of the risks they face, parliament’s leading unions have warned. And the GMB, which represents thousands of employees working in the Commons, Lords and members’ staffers, said that “we cannot afford for the can to be kicked down the street any longer”.

The Palace of Westminster is undergoing a multibillion-pound restoration and renewal project to ensure it is safe for future generations of MPs and staff across the estate. The cost of simply keeping the site safe and running is currently £1.4m a week, with the decision about a larger restoration project having been repeatedly pushed back.

The official restoration and renewal project has identified asbestos in 2,500 places on the estate, as well as the risk of fire, flooding and falling stones. Hundreds of miles of cables and pipes need replacing, outdated water and sewage systems need updating and the project is estimated to take a team of 300 people several years. Another major problem is the lack of disability accessibility, with the estate covering 65 different levels, having more than 100 staircases and only one lift that meets modern-day standards for accessibility.

On a recent tour of the restoration and renewal sites, The Independent saw at first hand how the corridors beneath parliament are plagued with outdated infrastructure in desperate need of replacement.