Restoration and Renewal Programme: Essential Scheme Initial Assessment of Cost and Schedule and Continued Presence Impact Study

The Parliamentary Works Sponsor Body has today deposited a paper in the Library of both Houses, entitled “Essential Scheme: Initial Assessment of Cost and Schedule; and Continued Presence: Impact Study”, following the request of the House of Commons Commission to make available this information for consideration by both Houses. This has also been published on the Restoration and Renewal website at: https://restorationandrenewal.uk/resources/reports/essential-scheme-initial-assessment-of-cost-and-schedule.

The Sponsor Body and Delivery Authority have been working to the mandate set out in the resolutions of both Houses in early 2018 and the Parliamentary Buildings (Restoration and Renewal) Act 2019 to prepare a detailed and costed plan, known as the Programme Business Case, for the works to restore and renew the Palace of Westminster.

The approach to developing a Programme Business Case, and objectives for key aspects of the two potential schemes, were confirmed and agreed with the House Commissions following a Strategic Review of the Restoration and Renewal Programme in early 2021. That Programme Business Case was planned to be presented to both Houses in 2023 and, as part of the normal process of developing such a Business Case, information has been regularly shared between the Delivery Authority and Sponsor Body for review, scrutiny, challenge and guidance.

In recent months, the Sponsor Body and the Delivery Authority had, for the first time, brought together an initial consolidated view of a preliminary cost and schedule range for an option known as the R&R Essential Scheme. This initial assessment reflects emerging thoughts, approximately half way through the planned period for developing the Programme Business Case. This does not represent a formal cost estimate and remains subject to a considerable amount of further work, which had been planned for the year ahead.

The deposited paper sets out the initial assessment of cost and schedule for the essential scheme and also the continued presence impact study, which sets out the potential impact on the programme, including its cost and schedule, were the House of Commons to maintain a presence in the Palace during the building works. The potential cost and schedule ranges include significant allowances for cost and schedule contingency to allow for the range of risks inherent in such a complex programme of works, and to account for the early stage of the analysis. The estimates of contingency for the schedule and cost were derived following good practice guidance in the development of business cases.

[HCWS626]