Question

To ask the hon. Member for Mole Valley representing the House of Commons Commission, what mechanisms the Commission has put in place for assessing the value for money of each of the options for restoration and renewal of the Palace of Westminster.

The House of Commons Commission and the House of Lords House Committee asked for the independent appraisal of options for restoring and renewing the Palace of Westminster that was published on 18 June. The IOA does not test value for money as such, because it is not yet possible to quantify the benefits of the different options in cash terms. Instead it recommends that value for money should be tested in the course of drawing up a business case in the next phase. The Commission expects value for money to be central to the work of the Joint Committee that is to be set up to take this matter forward.