On November 7, 2026, British House of Commons Speaker Lindsay Hoyle criticised the slow pace of the multi‑billion‑pound refurbishment of the Palace of Westminster, saying each year of delay costs taxpayers £420 million and the project could extend up to 61 years, according to Xinhua.
The public‑accounts committee of the House warned that the building’s restoration is in a "crunch time" situation, citing fire‑risk concerns and the absence of a fire‑suppression mist system that the Speaker has called for years.
Hoyle said the Act of Parliament was “putting us in handcuffs” and that the process of “doing surveys” was preventing essential repairs from getting underway. He added, "It’s very frustrating when the Act of Parliament prevents you carrying out the major repairs that you need to. Talk about putting ourselves in handcuffs," according to the Xinhua report.
The committee flagged that the project could cost up to £40 billion (53 billion U.S. dollars) and that the Palace could become vulnerable to a disastrous fire similar to the 2019 Notre‑Dame blaze if crucial safety measures are not implemented.
For more details, see the Xinhua article dated November 7, 2026.
