Shocking state of asbestos-ridden Houses of Parliament uncovered in new survey
At least 44 fires have broken out in the Houses of Parliament over the past decade, with more than 1,000 incidents of asbestos uncovered, figures have shown. Concerns have been raised repeatedly that the iconic Westminster building could face a Notre-Dame style blaze if restoration work is not completed, with four fires in 2024 alone.However, plans to restore the Palace of Westminster are likely to cost billions, with the fastest option likely to take more than a decade and would consist of both the House of Lords and Commons relocating on a temporary basis. Details of the toxic materials were released to Labour peer Peter Hain, which showed that asbestos had been found in 1,057 items. Plans to restore the building cost billions of pounds (John Walton/PA) More