Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 18
18
Accepted
Unrealistic parliamentary resolutions necessitate unavoidable trade-offs between cost, accessibility, and sustainability goals.
Conclusion
The Clerk of the House of Commons told us that resolutions passed by Parliament were unrealistic. There will be unavoidable trade-offs between cost, accessibility and sustainability. For example, the Commissions set out health and safety as their primary commitment but to meet sustainability expectations there will be additional costs and compromises over how space used. Also, ‘bold claims’ have been made relating to the removal of asbestos that will have a significant additional impact on cost, while attempts to make the building fully accessible would be “staggeringly expensive” despite consensus of the need for a ‘step-change’ in accessibility.43
Government Response Summary
The R&R Client team commits to presenting cost and time estimates in ranges in the strategic case and costed proposal, due to be considered by the Programme Board and Client Board in Autumn 2023.
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.