Portcullis House (Hansard, 10 December 1997)

§ Sir Sydney Chapman

Since my predecessor as Chairman of the Accommodation and Works Committee, the hon. Member for Ogmore (Sir R. Powell), last reported to the House on 20 March 1997,Official Report column 686, good progress has been made by our designers and contractors. However, we have had to wait 11 months longer than London Underground Ltd. promised for its Jubilee Line Extension works at Westminster Station to be completed to an acceptable standard, so that construction on our site above the new station could start. On 13 October 1997 London Underground Limited made part of the site available so that the House's contractor could start preliminary work, and it is planned that our contractor will occupy further parts of the site, sufficient for the main construction to begin, on 5 January 1998.

When complete, Portcullis House will dramatically reduce the pressure on parliamentary accommodation and in particular it will help to relieve the severe overcrowding in the Palace of Westminster. It will provide offices for over two hundred Members and their staff; with six select committee rooms, two of which can 579W be used flexibly in the manner of the Jubilee Room and one of which is equipped for simultaneous interpretation. There will also be eight conference rooms, a library, a vote office, exhibition space, appropriate refreshment facilities, a post office and a necessities shop.

The project remains on budget: £250 million including an allowance for forecast construction price inflation up to the year 2000. The figure includes the purchase of the site, all fees and expenses, furnishing and fitting out costs, and VAT. The total also includes the additional committee accommodation, security aspects, data and communications facilities which the House of Commons Commission agreed should be added to the brief.

The House commissioned the architects, Michael Hopkins and Partners to produce a building, designed for a life of 200 years or more, using materials of high quality including natural stone, bronze and English oak, as befits a site of international importance. The structural engineers, Ove Arup and Partners, have had to resolve complex design issues to span the building over the District and Circle lines and the Jubilee Line extension, and to accommodate special security requirements. Our construction managers, Laing Management Limited, also face a most demanding engineering task in assembling this unique structure and commissioning the building. Manufacture of components is now proceeding satisfactorily to meet requirements of the programme, and it is planned that the House will be able to occupy the building from the beginning of 2001.