§ 29. Mr. Ronald Bellasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the effect on the conservation of the fabric of delay in cleaning the exterior of the Palace of Westminster.
§ Mr. ChannonA precise assessment is not possible. The hard patina which has developed on the stonework over more than a century is unlikely to be significantly affected by a delay of a year or so. The possibility that deterioration may have already occurred in some part of the fabric cannot be ruled out, but this would only be revealed by cleaning.