Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 25
25
Accepted
Parliamentary engagement on Palace restoration has been insufficient, requiring new approach.
Conclusion
In terms of parliamentary engagement, the Programme SRO identified this as an area where the Sponsor Body had previously not done enough.58 In October 2022, the newly established Client Board acknowledged that engagement had not been sufficient, with a new approach and greater collaboration needed.59 This was also recognised by the Sponsor Body itself, with former Chair describing fundamental challenges around identifying the ‘client’ and the need for senior political figures to be more involved to drive decision taking and achieve consensus.60
Government Response Summary
The government agrees with the committee's observation on past insufficient parliamentary engagement and outlines a new, prioritized approach with senior resources and a comprehensive internal engagement plan with Members.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
The Clerk of the House, Clerk of the Parliaments, and Client Team agree with the Committee’s recommendations. First bullet – annual performance report Previous commitments made to the Committee are already being fulfilled and, specifically, the first R&R annual progress report from the House Administrations is due to be published before summer recess 2023. In addition to the annual progress report, the Programme publishes quarterly reports providing updates on the Programme and setting out progress against key milestones. The latest quarterly report was published on the R&R Programme Board’s website in June. The R&R Client and Programme Boards also publish meeting agendas, and the Formal Minutes for each meeting, on their respective websites, for transparency purposes. The Clerk of the House and the Clerk of the Parliaments have previously committed to publishing the outcomes of any future work by the Independent Advice and Assurance Panel (IAAP) which they commission, subject to the agreement of the Commissions acting as the Client Board. The first IAAP report was published in June 2022 as an appendix to the Joint Commissions’ Report Restoration and Renewal of the Palace of Westminster – a new mandate. The latest IAAP report, undertaken in February, was published on the Programme Board’s website in June 2023. Second bullet – improving Member engagement Improving Member, and wider internal, engagement has been a priority for the new R&R Client Team with new senior resource put in place to manage this aspect of the programme and close collaboration with in-house teams. Since the transfer of accountability for R&R to the Clerks in January 2023, the following engagement activities have taken place: • Domestic Committees and relevant Select Committees in both Houses were engaged on the emerging options in February • Awareness raising stands were held in both Portcullis House and the Palace in March, April and from June to July • House and Members’ staff focus groups, and 1:1 interviews with Members, focusing on the impacts and benefits of the options, were undertaken in May • Engagement with Party Groups is ongoing. In line with commitments made, Members have been communicated with directly following the first meeting of the R&R Client Board, in advance of the motion to appoint the R&R Programme Board and to alert them to the engagement stands. Members were also notified directly of the publication of both the Quarterly Report for R&R and the IAAP report in June. Members will continue to be alerted to key decisions and publications in the future. A Restoration and Renewal information hub is in place on the parliamentary intranet site. A comprehensive engagement plan, agreed by the R&R Programme Board, is also in place for the remainder of 2023 and leading up to the initial vote on a strategic case. The plan seeks to ensure regular internal engagement with Members and other passholders. A separate plan addresses external engagement. At all times Members will be made aware of the level of detail available in this phase of the Programme. Ranges, referencing current figures, will continue to be expressed to help manage expectations.