‘Smashing Westminster’s glass ceiling’ is generally hailed as a good thing – except when it is the taxpayer left holding the bill. In the heady days of the new millennium, Portcullis House (PCH) was opened at a cost of £235million. As the newest part of the parliamentary estate, it was expected to last for 200 years when it opened in 2001: a shiny new modern temple of democratic delight.
Yet, barely two decades on, the place increasingly seems to be falling apart. The building’s distinctive glazed roof has recently had a number of issues, including broken panes, falling bolts and a number of high-profile leaks. Just like the government, eh? Walking through PCH last month, Steerpike was amused to see yet another sign spring up, declaring that yet more work was now being undertaken on the roof. So a Freedom of Information was duly sent to the House of Commons beancounters…
It transpires that the PCH roof has now cost almost £600,000 over the past 24 months. Since August 2023, the equivalent of nearly £5,500 a week has been spent on repairs. These include the replacement of a broken glazing panel (£46,000) in August 2023, the replacement of more panels and aged polycarbonate (£456,000) in February 2024, surveys and remedials (£16,000) in March 2024, the replacement of piston arms and roof access hatches (£34,000) in April 2024 and replacing broken glazing panel (£18,000) in July 2025.
As for the works done this summer, the Commons said that they did ‘not currently hold details of costs for any currently on-going repair projects.’ Be rest assured though that, upon completion, Mr S will be putting in his usual FOI request to find out the figures…
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