Parliamentary authorities have confirmed the identification of asbestos materials in over 1,000 items, raising significant health and safety concerns.

In the past decade, Parliament has reported at least 44 fires, underscoring the urgent need for restoration work.

In 2024 alone, four fires occurred in the Palace of Westminster, contributing to a total of 13 fires since 2020, although incidents decreased during the pandemic due to limited building use.

Concerns have been raised about the risk of a major fire, similar to the Notre-Dame blaze, if restoration work is not expedited.

Lord Peter Hain has warned that without swift restoration efforts, Parliament could face a catastrophic fire disaster.

Hain emphasized the urgent need for a faster restoration program to protect MPs, peers, staff, and visitors from potential fire hazards and asbestos exposure.

Deputy Lords speaker John Gardiner indicated that new restoration plans, which will present three options, are expected later in 2025.

The plans to restore the Palace of Westminster are projected to cost billions, with the quickest option requiring over a decade and involving temporary relocation of both Houses.

Estimated costs for the proposed options range from £7 billion to £13 billion for a full decant, with a rolling program potentially taking up to 70 years.

The proposed restoration plans may create divisions among MPs due to their high costs.

A vote in both houses of Parliament will take place once the restoration plans are outlined, with expected divisions on the necessity of vacating the building.

Gardiner stated that detailed processes are in place for the safe removal and management of asbestos-containing materials.