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Peers have criticised the new front door to the House of Lords, after ministers revealed it cost \u00a39.6m and still does not work properly.<\/p>\n
The Peers’ Entrance began a multi-year security upgrade in 2023, but is still not fully accessible for disabled peers, and requires a permanent member of staff on site “to press the button to open the door,” peers said.<\/p>\n
Leader of the House of Lords Baroness Smith said it was “completely unacceptable that we have a door that does not operate as it should”.<\/p>\n
A House of Lords spokesperson said works were under way to “resolve ongoing issues with the door at Peers’ Entrance, at no extra cost to the public”. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n
“The work at Peers’ Entrance is an important project as part of our commitment to ensure the safety and security of everyone on the Parliamentary estate,” the House of Lords spokesperson added.<\/p>\n
Upgrading security at Peers’ Entrance was among several recommendations suggested by a review following the Westminster terror attack in 2017.<\/p>\n
Baroness Smith said the cost of the door rose from an initial \u00a36.1m estimate due to the cost of keeping the entrance operational during works, and “heritage” issues at the Palace of Westminster, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.<\/p>\n
Despite the increased cost, Baroness Smith said it remained unclear if the door “will ever be fully operational”.<\/p>\n
“If it will not, other decisions have to be resolved and that has to be something that is done very quickly,” she added.<\/p>\n