Asked by: Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Conservative - North Cotswolds)
Question
To ask the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney, representing the House of Commons Commission, what the total cost was of the new security arrangements at carriage gates; how many tenders were received for those works; and what the sign-off procedure was.
Answered by Nick Smith
The total cost of the New Palace Yard works is expected to be £62million and includes security works, significant ground-work and heritage works. Of this, the main construction works contracts were worth £42.6million.
The main works contract was tendered as a two-stage tender, under the Southern Construction Framework. BAM were awarded the main construction works contract for each of the two stages.
Three competitive tenders were received for the first stage and the second stage of the tender was a direct award to the contractor successful at the first stage (BAM) as set out in the first stage tender documents. Evaluation was conducted in accordance with procurement regulations.
The tender award report for the second stage was prepared by the Commercial Lead and approved by the Director of Procurement, the Managing Director of Strategic Estates, HOC Finance Director and Clerk of the House, and the HOL Director of Finance, Director of Estates and Facilities and the Clerk of the Parliaments, in accordance with Parliament’s Finance Regulations, during the period June to July 2022.
The updated Business Case for the New Palace Yard works was also considered by the Commons Finance Committee in February 2023, prior to Accounting Officer approval to award BAM the contract for the second stage.
A briefing note on the New Palace Yard project was published by the Finance Committee in December 2025.
Asked by: Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Conservative - North Cotswolds)
Question
To ask the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney, representing the Restoration and Renewal Client Board, what the budget is for the restoration and renewal of the parliamentary estate in the next financial year.
Answered by Nick Smith
The funding for work related to Restoration and Renewal comes from several budgets.
The majority of R&R funding is provided through the R&R Delivery Authority’s Main Estimate which is subject to various stages of parliamentary scrutiny and approval. The funding approval process is partly set out in the Parliamentary Buildings (Restoration and Renewal) Act 2019. The House Commissions are required to set a limit on how much the Delivery Authority can spend in phase one of the programme (the phase before Parliament has approved the scheme and full funding for the works). The Parliamentary Works Estimates Commission is required under the Act to review the Estimate and consult HM Treasury and is responsible for laying the Estimate before the House of Commons. Prior to this, the Estimate is also scrutinised by the R&R Client Team and House finance teams, R&R Delivery Authority Board, R&R Programme Board and the R&R Client Board.
The budget for the R&R Delivery Authority for the next financial year (2026–27) is scheduled to be considered by the Client Board on 2 March 2026 as it progresses through the agreed governance approval stages.
The budgets for the R&R Client Team, Strategic Estates and the House of Lords R&R Team for the next financial year are contained within the wider House Administration Estimates and are formally scrutinised by the House Commissions, as advised by their respective finance committees. These budgets are also progressing through their approval stages.
In the current financial year (2025–26), the agreed budget for the R&R Delivery Authority is £53.2 million, £7.7m for the R&R Client Team, £0.4m for the House of Lords R&R Team, and £13m for Strategic Estates’ costs of developing the enhanced maintenance and improvement (EMI) option.