Question

To ask The Senior Deputy Speaker, further to the Written Answers by Lord Gardiner of Kimble on 30 July 2025 (HL9539) and 18 February 2026 (HL14266), why a safety deck was constructed for the safety of workers but does not enable access for peers and others; and what the justification is for the apparent inconsistency between the assessment of the safety implications in those two scenarios.

The area around the base of Victoria Tower is currently a restricted access construction site with preparatory groundwork, including deep excavations, underway ahead of the full scaffolding build later this year. It is not safe for Member or public access or thoroughfare. The workers who need to access the area do so with numerous safety measures in place. A pedestrian walkway will be reinstated as part of the final full scaffolding build.