More asbestos found in Parliament as MPs face pressure over repairs

More asbestos has been discovered inside the Palace of Westminster and the wider parliamentary estate, according to BBC News. Known asbestos items including insulation, floor tiles, roofing, and ropes now total more than 1,650 items. BBC News reported that this represents an increase of 500 items since 2021. [1][3]

The discovery comes as MPs face pressure to sign off on a major refurbishment of the building. BBC News reported that the UK government is considering holding a vote on the project, which could cost up to £40bn and take 61 years to complete after years of delay. [1][3]

Warnings over the state of the building have intensified across multiple reports. ITVX and the London Evening Standard both reported that MPs warned Parliament risks a managed decline without a best case scenario renovation. Sky News also reported on warnings that Parliament risks a catastrophic event without urgent work, while BBC News noted warnings of a potential Notre Dame-style fire. [1][2][4][6]

The House of Commons public accounts committee warned this week that it is crunch time for the restoration project, according to BBC News. The committee stated that every additional year of delay costs taxpayers £420m. [1][3]