Lords Toilet refurbishment may cost £100,000

**Panda** Sun 30 Jun - 11:15

Lords toilet refurbishment may cost £100,000
Up to £100,000 is to be spent refurbishing two toilets used by peers and VIP guests at the Palace of Westminster, according to a House of Commons contract.

Up to £100,000 is to be spent refurbishing two toilets used by peers and VIP guests at the Palace of Westminster Photo: ALAMY
10:35AM BST 30 Jun 2013
The House of Lords lavatories give a "poor image" of the Palace of Westminster and are in an "unacceptable condition for the high profile area they are in," adds the job description put out to tender via the website government-online.net.

The paperwork states the last revamp took place more than 20 years ago, and the contract is valued by the House of Commons authorities at between £90,000 and £100,000.

The work to ensure the toilets in the Salisbury Room area comply with disability access legislation is estimated to take 42 days to complete.

There is one cubicle and two urinals in the men's toilets and one cubicle plus a hand basin in the women's toilets, according to the House of Lords.

One of the urinals might disappear as a result of work to enlarge the cubicle in the men's.

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The nearest alternative disabled accessible toilets to the Salisbury Room are said to be more than 125 metres away.

Work listed in the contract includes installing "historic oak panelling to meet English Heritage requirements", minor demolition work, new decorations and new sanitary equipment.

The tender document adds the toilets - used by peers, staff and visitors from delegations from overseas parliaments - have reached the "end of their serviceable life".

Twelve companies have expressed an interest in carrying out the work.

A House of Lords spokesman said: "The House of Lords has opened a procurement process to refurbish two toilets on the principal floor to ensure we comply with disability access legislation.

"As with all procurement we undertake this will be done with a determined focus on value for money for the taxpayer."

The toilets were first installed during the summer recess of 1937 following a review of the provision of lavatories in Parliament and were last refurbished in the early 1990s.

The tender document states: "The toilets are principally used for members and VIP guests of the Palace of Westminster.

"The lavatories are in an unacceptable condition for the high profile area they are in and they give a poor image of the Palace of Westminster. A refurbishment is required urgently to bring the amenities to a standard that reflects a World Heritage site."

The project also includes looking at providing an accessible unisex disabled facility in the Salisbury Room area, the documents say.

Work is expected to start in August during the summer recess.

In 2011/12, the House of Lords spent £15.252 million on estates and works. This covers the Lords share of the cost of maintaining the entire Parliamentary Estate, including the Palace of Westminster.

As the Palace is a grade one listed building, work has to be carried out in line with English Heritage requirements, which can lead to increased costs.

Guest Sun 30 Jun - 11:22

Whatever happened to spending a penny?

**Panda** Sun 30 Jun - 11:26

They need a sturdy Toilet NBY because of the crap they produce. I bet a smilar one is already in the Commons. Lords Toilet refurbishment may cost £100,000 294124