Restoring Parliament could take 76 YEARS and cost up to £22BILLION

Restoring the Palace of Westminster could take 76 years and cost up to £22billion if MPs refuse to leave while the work is carried out, according to a new official report.

The Houses of Parliament Restoration & Renewal Programme have published an assessment of how much it could cost and how long it could take if MPs decide against a full decant.

That would mean builders and engineers having to work around politicians as they continue to use the House of Commons. 

The report said that in a worst case scenario the restoration project could last for more than seven decades. 

MPs and peers agreed in 2018 to a plan that would see both the House of Commons and House of Lords move to temporary facilities near the existing site – a 'full decant' – to allow essential repairs and upgrades to be made to the Victorian palace.

But the project is being reviewed amid growing concerns and mounting opposition from some MPs who want to stay put. 

MPs are expected to make a final decision in early 2023 about how much taxpayers' cash they are willing to spend on restoring Parliament.