£10m bill for Parliament repairs is just the start
12 April 2012
Repairs to the Houses of Parliament's crumbling old roof have just been completed at a cost of nearly £10 million in public cash.
Today value-for-money questions were being asked as it was revealed that only 15 per cent of the roof has been mended - and that officials are thinking about spending up to £50 million renovating the rest.
The 22-month work included cleaning and replacing hundreds of 19th century cast-iron tiles which it was feared could fall off and damage ministers' cars.
Claire Bolitho, of the National Trust, said she was surprised a better deal had not been made. A Palace of Westminster spokesman said the work was commissioned competitively and was under budget.
