Taxpayers Foot the Bill for Heating the Crumbling Parliamentary Estate

It has been revealed that MPs are costing taxpayers £20,000 a day in energy bills by filling the Houses of Parliament with hot air. Last year, a staggering £7.1 million was spent on gas and electricity bills for the 163-year-old Palace of Westminster. Despite having a deal that offers energy at half the price of the average UK household, Parliament's energy bills exceed those of all seven occupied Royal residences combined, including Buckingham Palace.

Inefficient Heating Systems in the Historic Building

The crumbling state of the Parliamentary Estate, with its draughty windows, doors, brickwork, and roof space, makes it notoriously inefficient to heat. In the year 2022/23, the estate incurred an electricity bill of £5.88 million and a gas bill of £1.19 million.

Parliament Pays Less for Energy, While the Public Struggles

Parliament pays significantly less for energy compared to the average UK household. It pays just 14.71p per KW of electricity to EDF, while families pay 30.11p per KW. For gas, Parliament pays British Gas and Total only 4.35p per unit, while ordinary people are charged an average of 7.51p. This is causing concern among constituents who are facing record-level energy bills and struggling to heat their homes and put food on the table this winter.

Decades of Debates and Urgent Upgrades Needed

MPs have been discussing how to address the deteriorating state of the Parliamentary Estates for decades. The electricity and water supplies are in dire need of upgrading. Plug sockets are known to buzz and spark, and many staff members rely on plug-in heaters that strain the electrical system. MPs have also reported falling masonry and leaking waste pipes. The cost of repairing the Unesco world heritage site could reach up to £13 billion and require MPs to vacate the premises for 20 years.

Efficiency Scores and Energy Conservation Efforts

Efforts have been made to improve energy efficiency in the Palace of Westminster. In 2015, sheep wool was stuffed into the roof to address power wastage. However, the building's current energy efficiency score of 121 falls well below the typical score of 100 for UK public buildings.

Challenges in Heating the Historic Building

A spokesman for the Parliamentary Estate explained that heating the building is challenging due to its large number of difficult-to-heat spaces and considerable floor-to-ceiling heights. The heating season, which typically runs from mid-September to mid-April, is adjusted based on weather conditions. If the weather is unseasonably warm, the heating is delayed, and if it is unseasonably cold, the heating is switched on earlier.