Question

To ask the right hon. Member for Carshalton and Wallington, representing the House of Commons Commission, what steps have been taken to ensure the use of British materials in the refurbishment of the Elizabeth Tower and its machinery.

The procurement process for the final contract for the refurbishment of the Elizabeth Tower is ongoing via an open competition in accordance with the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 and Parliament’s procurement policies. In order to comply with the Regulations, Parliament cannot specifically require the use of British materials or machinery when letting contracts, as the Regulations prohibit references to a specific country of origin or production.

The scaffolding contract was awarded via the same method in November 2016. The steel in the steelwork structures used in supporting the scaffolding on the Tower is primarily sourced from British suppliers.