In brief
British House of Commons Speaker Lindsay Hoyle criticised the slow pace of the multi‑billion‑pound restoration of the Palace of Westminster, saying each year of delay costs taxpayers £420 million and that the repairs could last up to 61 years. The Public Accounts Committee called the situation “crunch time,” citing fire‑risk concerns and the absence of a fire‑suppression mist system. Hoyle’s frustration underscores the power struggle between the Act of Parliament and urgent building‑repair needs.
At the Palace of Westminster in London, Speaker Lindsay Hoyle expressed frustration over the slow pace of the multi‑billion‑pound restoration, warning that each year of delay costs taxpayers £420 million and could take up to 61 years, Xinhua reported on Saturday, November 7, 2026.
Palace of Westminster houses the British parliament, and its Victorian building has long been in need of essential renovations. Hoyle said the current process for approving repairs feels like "putting ourselves in handcuffs," and that too much time is spent on "doing surveys" instead of starting the work.
The Public Accounts Committee urged urgent action this week, noting that the restoration could cost up to £40 billion and that every additional year of delay drains taxpayers £420 million. Its chairman also warned that the building could remain vulnerable to a severe fire, echoing concerns raised by the Paris Notre‑Dame blaze in 2019.
Hoyle reiterated his call for a fire‑suppression mist system to be installed throughout the building, a measure he had advocated for years. “It’s very frustrating when the Act of Parliament prevents you from carrying out the major repairs that you need to,” he said.
The delays have sparked debate over the balance between parliamentary authority and the urgent need to protect a historic structure and its occupants.
