At least 44 fires have broken out in the Houses of Parliament in the last 10 years and the building is riddled with asbestos, according to reports. Labour peer and former Cabinet minister Lord Peter Hain obtained details of the risks, which have been reported by the Guardian newspaper.
They show that there were four fires in the Palace of Westminster last year and 13 have erupted since 2020. There were 10 fires in 2016, according to the report, cited by the same publication. Asbestos has also been discovered in 1,057 “items” to date, with surveys said to be continuing into the presence of the toxic material to confirm if these should be removed or require continued monitoring. Deputy Speaker of the Lords, Lord John Gardiner, is reported to have told Lord Hain in response to his query: “Detailed processes are in place to support safe invasive works including support from an asbestos analytical consultant and removal of asbestos-containing materials via a licensed asbestos removal contractor”.
Lord Hain called for Parliament to be decanted and restored faster than planned. He said: “This iconic world heritage site should be decanted, renewed and restored as soon as possible, as both the Commons and Lords agreed years ago.
“We are otherwise working in a potential Notre Dame inferno compounded by a potentially lethal asbestosis threat.”
Asbestosis is a chronic lung disease caused by breathing in asbestos fibres. Prolonged exposure to such fibres can cause lung tissue to scar and shortness of breath.
A report by Parliament’s Restoration and Renewal Programme in 2024 led to work being undertaken to develop three options for the historic building.
The first is to temporarily relocate both Houses of Parliament to complete extensive restoration work. The second would see the House of Commons Chamber remain in use while the Lords would be temporarily relocated.
A third option is for “enhanced maintenance and improvement”, meaning a rolling programme of works.
The cost of the three options is expected to be presented to both Houses of Parliament for peers and MPs to decide this year.
Each option is likely to cost taxpayers billions of pounds. The quickest solution would be for both houses to leave the Palace of Westminster and temporarily relocate nearby. This has an estimated cost between £7billion and £13bn.
The costliest option is believed to be the rolling programme of works, which could potentially take up to 70 years to complete.
The Palace of Westminster was built 150 years ago at the beginning of Queen Victoria’s reign. It is home to the “mother of all parliaments” and is recognised by millions worldwide.
Covering 34 acres and with 1,100 rooms, there are more than 14 miles of pipework and about 250 miles of cabling across the Palace. But many of its water, electricity, sewage and gas systems have reached the end of their lifespan.
Palace authorities say that while both Houses undergo ongoing maintenance to ensure safety, a more comprehensive restoration programme is “essential”.
They say the plans will address the Palace’s ageing infrastructure, asbestos, deteriorating masonry as well outdated mechanical, electrical and other “critical” systems.