Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 14
14
Accepted
Presenting a strategic case to Parliament by year-end is critical for programme momentum.
Conclusion
The Clerk of the Commons told us he felt that the governance was in as good a place as it could be, but recognised that this is a critical year for the programme. Managing the risks to the timetable will be vital to maintain the programme’s momentum,34 and the next significant step in this ambitious timetable will be for the R&R Client Team to present Parliament with a strategic case by the end of 2023. Following a steer from the Programme Board, this would be a high-level assessment of options, with designs and indicative costs and timings, so Parliament could decide on one preferred option to take forward. Subsequently, sometime during 2024 or 2025, depending on the timing of a general election, the R&R Client Team will then present Parliament a more specific, costed piece of work to vote on in a more conventional manner which will then potentially lead to work being started.35 Before the R&R Client Team presents a business case substantial volumes of work will need to be conducted to develop options and evaluation criteria, undertake evaluations and progress this work through the current governance structures.36 28 Hansard Volume 827, Restoration and Renewal Programme Board, 22 February 2023 29 Committee of Public Accounts, Tenth Report of Session 2022–23, Restoration and renewal of the Palace of Westminster, HC 49, 29 June 2022 30 Response to Committee of Public Accounts Tenth Report of Session 2022–23, Restoration and Renewal of the Palace of Westminster 31 Q 102 32 Q 106 33 Q 108 34 Qq 108, 113; Joint letter to PAC from the Clerks, Delivery Authority CEO and Sponsor Body CEO, 31 October 2022 35 Qq 18–19 36 Qq 44, 55 Restoration & Renewal of the Palace of Westminster – 2023 Recall 13 Uncertainty over the programme
Government Response Summary
The government agrees it is critical to present a strategic case for the R&R programme this year, confirming it will be presented to both Houses by December 2023. It notes further detailed proposals will follow, with timing for a decision in 2024/2025 subject to a general election.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
The Clerk of the House, Clerk of the Parliaments, Client Team and the Delivery Authority agree with the Committee’s recommendations. First bullet – interim milestones We agree that it is critical to present a strategic case with a proposed way forward for the R&R programme this year to both Houses. Following that direction detailed costed proposals must be developed as soon as practical, allowing a decision, as set out under the R&R Act, on delivery of the programme. The key milestones for the Programme over the next 12 months are set out below. Updates on these will be included in regular quarterly progress reports to be published by the R&R Programme Board now that the new governance has been implemented. The first of these reports was published on 6 June and is available on the Programme Board’s website.1 Key Programme Milestones Milestone Description Programme Delivery Agreement Agreed December 2022 COMPLETE Statutory Instrument in force The Statutory instrument to amend the Parliamentary Buildings (Restoration and Renewal) Act and bring the sponsorship of the Programme into Parliament came into force on 1 January 2023 December 2022 COMPLETE R&R Options Assessment Complete A wider range of options has been developed and assessed by the Delivery Authority ready for presentation to the R&R Programme Board January 2023 COMPLETE 2023/24 Intrusive Surveys Plan agreed March 2023 COMPLETE R&R Options shortlisting started with Programme R&R Programme Board will be considering the range of Board R&R options and proposing a shortlist of those for endorsement by the R&R Client Board. March 2023 COMPLETE R&R Options Shortlist, Strategic Objectives and vision endorsed by the Client Board This shortlist of options along with strategic objectives and a vision will be part of the strategic case brought back to the Houses at the end of 2023. July 2023 ONGOING Early and enabling works design started Developing plans and designs for early R&R works integrated with ongoing works on the estate. July 2023 ONGOING Strategic case endorsed by Client Board The strategic case will make recommendations to both Houses on the way ahead for R&R. October 2023 NOT STARTED Strategic case presented to the Houses A motion will be put to both Houses to agree the way ahead for R&R based on the strategic case recommendations. December 2023 NOT STARTED 2024/25 Delivery Authority Budget Approved Agreed to the future Delivery Authority budget based on the way ahead agreed by both Houses. March 2024 NOT STARTED The options which are shortlisted this year and agreed in a strategic case in December 2023 will then be developed further in an outline business case. This outline business case will inform the detailed costed proposals for the works, as required under the Parliamentary Buildings (Restoration and Renewal) Act 2019 (the Act), Section 7, to allow the Houses to take a decision about delivering the works in Phase 2 of the Programme. The timing of engagement around the costed proposals and a decision, as set out in the Act, in 2024 or 2025 will also need to take into account any general election period, making it hard to be definitive at this stage.