Speaker Lindsay Hoyle is furious that the multi‑billion‑pound refurbishment of the Palace of Westminster is still stalled. On Saturday, he said Parliament’s approval process is "putting us in handcuffs" and that the delay costs taxpayers £420 million each year.
Hoyle said the speed of the repairs is being hampered by lengthy surveys and an unwieldy approval process that has turned the necessary work into a bureaucratic slog. He summoned the Public‑Accounts Committee, which warned that the project—estimated at £40 billion—could take up to 61 years to complete.
"It’s very frustrating when the Act of Parliament prevents you carrying out the major repairs that you need to. Talk about putting ourselves in handcuffs," Hoyle said.
The committee has voiced urgent concerns that the Palace’s fire‑risk could be disastrous, citing the 2019 Notre‑Dame blaze. Hoyle also called out the absence of a fire‑suppression mist system, which he has urged for years.
Both the speaker and the committee argue that the slow pace is compromising the safety of lawmakers and the public, and that every additional year of inaction erodes confidence and increases costs.
