More asbestos found in UK Parliament as repair delays cost millions

More than 1,650 items containing asbestos are now located within the Palace of Westminster and the wider parliamentary estate, marking an increase of 500 since 2021. Parliamentary authorities confirmed the discovery of these new items during surveys conducted to prepare for a long-delayed restoration project. The findings emerge as the government considers a vote on refurbishing the crumbling buildings, a project that could take up to 61 years and cost as much as £40bn.

Concerns

The Commons Public Accounts Committee warned this week that Parliament faces a crunch time for its restoration, noting that every additional year of delay costs taxpayers £420m. Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, the Conservative MP who chairs the committee, stated that a small fire could cause the entire building to burn down, comparing the potential disaster to the Notre Dame fire. Parliament currently relies on 24-hour fire patrols, and officials noted that sewage pumping equipment and steam vessels date back to Victorian times.

Context

Asbestos was widely used as a building material for insulation and fireproofing before being banned in the UK in 1999 due to severe health risks. Older historic structures like the Palace of Westminster often contain large amounts of hidden asbestos that requires careful management or removal during modern maintenance. Lawmakers and public bodies frequently face complex decisions balancing the massive costs of heritage building repairs against safety and structural hazards.