More asbestos found in Parliament, as MPs urged to get on with revamp
Summary
A BBC investigation found more than 1,650 known asbestos items across the Palace of Westminster and the wider parliamentary estate, about 500 more than in 2021. MPs are being urged to approve a major restoration that could cost up to £40 billion and take 61 years, while parliamentary officials say they are monitoring asbestos and removing it where possible.Key Facts
- Surveys for the planned refurbishment found additional asbestos items.
- About 700 asbestos items have been removed from Parliament in the past five years, but the known total has still increased.
- Almost 200 identified asbestos items are classed as medium risk under Health and Safety Executive guidance.
- The Commons Public Accounts Committee said each year of delay costs taxpayers an estimated £420 million.
- Parliamentary authorities say a fully asbestos-free building is not practical without demolition or extensive damage to the building.
- Parliament says it has improved asbestos monitoring, introduced awareness training and plans further removal.
- Mesothelioma UK supports a national asbestos register and phased removal from public buildings.
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