Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 17
17
Accepted
Uncertainty regarding programme scope, with political decision-making identified as the top risk.
Conclusion
The scope of the work, in terms of what a restored Palace would look like and how work would be undertaken, remains uncertain. We asked the Programme SRO about the risk of Parliament being unable to decide how to reduce the programme scope by the end of 2023. She told us that the ability of politicians to make decisions was the “ top risk on our risk register.”40 In 2020, we raised the ability to reach decisions as a risk – at that time the former Sponsor Body had not made it clear how it would balance Parliament’s range of views on the programme.41 The Sponsor Body had previously been provided a vision, or broad range of underlying strategic themes, to develop as part of the business case. This included improving disabled access; installing new fire safety systems; repairing and conserving the Palace and creating a building that ensures efficient and responsible resource consumption.42
Government Response Summary
The government acknowledges the uncertainty in the work's scope and confirms that the R&R Client team will present cost and time estimates in ranges within the strategic case and costed proposal, with the first due for consideration in Autumn 2023, to aid decision-making.
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 recommendation. First bullet – present cost and time estimates in ranges The R&R Client team will be presenting cost and time ranges in the strategic case and the costed proposal that will be presented to the Houses, the first of which is due to be considered by the Programme Board and Client Board in Autumn 2023.