Parliament is being overrun with vermin, according to new figures that reveal the growing number of sightings.
The House of Commons’ dedicated pest control team was called 541 times last year to deal with vermin.
The figure represents a large jump on the 412 in 2022, and a significant rise on the 227 spotted in 2021.
The figures were revealed after a Commons question from Lib Dem MP Sarah Olney, which also set out the wider workplace crises that those who work at the UNESCO site have to deal with on a daily basis.
901 mechanical incidents – largely broken lifts – were reported to the Commons authorities between December 2021 and 2023.
Similarly, 11,182 plumbing incidents were reported across the same period, with 5,211 of them documented in 2023 alone.
On the plumbing crisis, the Commons added: “We have had multiple issues with toilets in Portcullis House due to the quality of the water in the system”.
“To address this, new equipment, including a filtration system, was installed in Autumn 2023. An initial fault with this system was rectified by mid-November.
“A longer-term solution to improve the water quality is being planned by the Strategic Estates team.”
The shocking responses, which would likely force any other place of work to close down, were provided by Sir Charles Walker MP representing the House of Commons Commission.
A lift refurbishment programme was commenced in 2020, with more than 60 lifts being refurbished during a six year period.
Despite this, the number of broken lift reports have more than doubled since 2020.
Responding to the findings, Sarah Olney told The Sun: “With the number of leaks from this conservative government, people often say they smell a rat in Parliament. Now we know it’s literally true.
“The Palace of Westminster is the heart of British democracy, and it is crucial that action is taken to ensure it remains a safe place to work as quickly as possible.”
A Parliamentary spokesperson said: “Parliament is a safe place to work, with robust hygiene processes in place.
“We are committed to maintaining a humane and ethical pest control programme, focussed on preventative measures and, where necessary, the use of various control methods.
“Value for money remains a key consideration and we will, as ever, continue to follow all legislative and regulatory obligations.”
