Houses at loggerheads over building

10 March 2014

The House of Lords and House of Commons are at loggerheads over a £6 million education centre next to Parliament.

The Commons have gained planning permission for the temporary centre to be erected in Victoria Park Gardens, which lies alongside the Thames immediately to the south of Parliament.

But chairman of committees Lord Sewel has said the House of Lords authorities were against the plan and were refusing to contribute to its costs.

The proposed one-storey building would allow the number of children coming to Parliament on education programmes to rise from 45,000 to 100,000 a year.

Lord Sewel said the House Committee, which oversees the running of the Lords, believed a permanent solution could be created during current renovation work of Parliament and in the meantime an education centre could be provided in the existing buildings.

He said the temporary centre was only intended to stand for at most 10 years.

Lord Sewel, who speaks for the Upper House's authorities, said: "The House Committee has informed the House of Commons Commission that the House of Lords will not contribute to the capital costs of the demountable education centre, estimated to be over £6 million, on value for money grounds.

"The House Committee has serious concerns about health and safety and has requested a risk assessment of the proposed access routes, which is expected to be conducted before the Easter recess.

"We remain committed to the provision of an education service as opposed to this specific building."

Tory former MP Lord Flight told peers local residents had raised objections to the building.

"The Royal Parks Board, which owns Victoria Tower Gardens, raised strong objections to the House of Commons Commission but were overruled by the Department for Communities and Local Government secretary of state [Eric Pickles]," he said.

"The City of Westminster planning committee were divided three-three with very strong objections made but the chairman gave his casting vote, contrary to convention, in favour.

"Above all, Victoria Tower Gardens was created as an open space over 100 years ago to give a setting to the House of Lords building.

"Surely it would be a grave mistake to build on nearly a quarter of it in a style not sympathetic to the Palace of Westminster."

Labour's Lord Campbell-Savours said tens of thousands of children would be required to pass through Black Rod's Gardens which was "effectively a builder's yard" while work was carried out to restore Parliament.

Former Commons speaker Baroness Boothroyd, an independent crossbench peer, called for a "well-chosen delegation" to see the House of Commons Commission on the issue.

"We already have - we failed," Lord Sewel said, but Lady Boothroyd called for him to "try again".

Liberal Democrat Lord Kirkwood of Kirkhope said the Lords Information Committee, which he chairs, had been advocating an education facility for at least seven years.

He warned of the "real risk" of Parliament becoming "increasingly irrelevant" because "so little is understood about the excellent work that is actually done here".

But Tory former minister Lord Forsyth of Drumlean said: "None of us are against people having access to this building and appreciating its aesthetic status, but isn't it rather perverse to seek to damage that status in pursuit of the education that people are coming for?"

Lord Sewel agreed with him.

Houses at loggerheads over building

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