Parliamentary Buildings (Restoration and Renewal) Act 2019

The Sponsor Body and the Delivery Authority U.K.

2 The Parliamentary Works Sponsor Body U.K.

(1) [F1 A body corporate called the Parliamentary Works Sponsor Body (referred to in this Act as “the Sponsor Body”) is established for the purpose of having overall responsibility for the Parliamentary building works.]

[F2 (1A) Regulations 3 and 4 of the Parliamentary Works Sponsor Body (Abolition) Regulations 2022 abolish the Sponsor Body (established by subsection (1) of this section, which was repealed by those Regulations) and transfer its functions to the Corporate Officers; and regulation 9(7) of those Regulations provides for references to the Sponsor Body in this Act to be treated as references to the Corporate Officers.]

(2) The Sponsor Body's duties are—

(a) to determine the strategic objectives of the Parliamentary building works;

(b) to make strategic decisions relating to the carrying out of the Parliamentary building works;

(c) to form the Delivery Authority (see section 3);

(d) to fund the Delivery Authority (see section 9);

(e) to require the Delivery Authority to formulate proposals relating to the design, cost and timing of Palace restoration works;

(f) to require the Delivery Authority, when considering the award of a contract in respect of the carrying out of the Parliamentary building works, to have regard to—

(i) the prospective contractor's policy relating to corporate social responsibility, and

(ii) the prospective contractor's policies and procedures relating to employment (including in relation to the blacklisting of employees);

(g) to oversee the activities of the Delivery Authority in connection with the carrying out of the Parliamentary building works;

(h) to deal with matters relating to completion of the Parliamentary building works, including the making of arrangements for the handing over of the buildings to which those works relate;

(i) to promote public understanding of the purposes of the Restoration and Renewal Programme.

(3) In performing the duties under subsection (2)(a) and (b) in relation to Palace restoration works, the Sponsor Body must consult members of each House of Parliament in accordance with the strategy under section 5.

(4) In performing the duties under subsection (2)(a) and (b), the Sponsor Body must make arrangements for seeking the views of—

(a) people employed in or for the purposes of either House of Parliament,

(b) people working for members of either House of Parliament (whether or not for payment), and

(c) members of the public.

(5) In exercising its functions, the Sponsor Body must have regard to—

(a) the need to ensure that the Parliamentary building works represent good value for money;

(b) the need to ensure that the Parliamentary building works are carried out with a view to ensuring the safety and security of people who work in Parliament and members of the public;

(c) the need to protect the environment and to contribute to achieving sustainable development;

(d) the need to ensure that any place in which either House of Parliament is located while the Parliamentary building works are carried out is accessible to people visiting the place for the purpose of watching proceedings or attending meetings with members of either House;

(e) the need to ensure that—

(i) any place in which either House of Parliament is located while the Parliamentary building works are carried out, and

(ii) (after completion of those works) all parts of the Palace of Westminster used by people working in it or open to people visiting it,

are accessible to people with disabilities;

(f) the need for improved visitor access to the Palace of Westminster after completion of the Parliamentary building works;

(g) the need to ensure that educational and other facilities are provided for people visiting the Palace of Westminster after completion of the Parliamentary building works;

(h) the need to ensure that the Parliamentary building works are carried out with a view to facilitating improved public engagement with Parliament and participation in the democratic process (especially by means of remote access to Parliament's educational and outreach facilities and programmes);

(i) the special architectural, archaeological and historical significance of the Palace of Westminster;

(j) the need to ensure that opportunities to secure economic or other benefits of the Parliamentary building works are available in all areas of the United Kingdom.

(6) [F3 Schedule 1 contains further provision about the Sponsor Body.]

Textual Amendments

F1 S. 2(1) ceases to have effect (1.1.2023) by virtue of The Parliamentary Works Sponsor Body (Abolition) Regulations 2022 (S.I. 2022/1360), regs. 1, 9(2)(a) (with reg. 11)

F2 S. 2(1A) inserted (1.1.2023) by The Parliamentary Works Sponsor Body (Abolition) Regulations 2022 (S.I. 2022/1360), regs. 1, 9(3) (with reg. 11)

F3 S. 2(6) ceases to have effect (1.1.2023) by virtue of The Parliamentary Works Sponsor Body (Abolition) Regulations 2022 (S.I. 2022/1360), regs. 1, 9(2)(a) (with reg. 11)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 S. 2(2)-(5) applied (1.1.2023) by The Parliamentary Works Sponsor Body (Abolition) Regulations 2022 (S.I. 2022/1360), regs. 1, 4(2)(b) (with reg. 11)

[F4 2A. Annual report U.K.

(1) At least once in every calendar year, the Corporate Officers must prepare and lay before Parliament a report about the carrying out of the Parliamentary building works and the progress that has been made towards completion of those works.

(2) A report must in particular include information about persons to whom contracts in respect of the carrying out of the Parliamentary building works have been awarded, in particular—

(a) their size, and

(b) the areas in which they operate.

(3) The Corporate Officers must publish each report.]

Textual Amendments

F4 S. 2A inserted (1.1.2023) by The Parliamentary Works Sponsor Body (Abolition) Regulations 2022 (S.I. 2022/1360), regs. 1, 7 (with reg. 11)

3 The Delivery Authority U.K.

(1) The Sponsor Body must form a company limited by guarantee to exercise the functions conferred on the company by this Act.

(2) The constitution of the company must include provision to ensure that the only member of the company, and its only guarantor, is the Sponsor Body.

(3) The company formed under subsection (1) is referred to in this Act as “the Delivery Authority”.

(4) The Delivery Authority's duties are—

(a) to formulate proposals relating to Palace restoration works, as required by the Sponsor Body under section 2(2)(e), and

(b) to carry out the Parliamentary building works in line with the requirements of the Sponsor Body.

(5) The Delivery Authority may do whatever it considers appropriate for the purposes of the duties under subsection (4), provided that it acts in accordance with—

(a) the agreement entered into by the Sponsor Body and the Delivery Authority under section 4, and

(b) the Delivery Authority's memorandum and articles of association.

(6) In performing the duties under subsection (4) the Delivery Authority must have regard to the matters mentioned in section 2(5).

(7) Schedule 2 contains further provision about the Delivery Authority.

4 Relationship between the Sponsor Body and the Delivery Authority U.K.

(1) The Sponsor Body and the Delivery Authority must enter into an agreement (“the programme delivery agreement”) containing—

(a) a statement of the strategic objectives of the Parliamentary building works, as determined by the Sponsor Body under section 2(2)(a);

(b) provision about the review of the Delivery Authority's activities by the Sponsor Body;

(c) provision about how, and in what circumstances, the Sponsor Body may intervene in relation to the performance by the Delivery Authority of its duties under section 3(4) where the Sponsor Body considers that the Delivery Authority is not performing those duties effectively and efficiently.

(2) The provision referred to in subsection (1)(b) includes provision for the Sponsor Body or any person authorised by it—

(a) to inspect documents in the Delivery Authority's possession, and

(b) to interview any member of the Delivery Authority's staff.

(3) The programme delivery agreement may contain provision about such other matters relating to the Parliamentary building works as the Sponsor Body and the Delivery Authority consider appropriate.

(4) If the Delivery Authority and the Sponsor Body fail to reach agreement in relation to a relevant matter, the Delivery Authority or the Sponsor Body (or both) may refer the difference between them to the House Commissions.

(5) “Relevant matter” means—

(a) a matter required by subsection (1)(b) or (c) to be included in the programme delivery agreement, or

(b) a matter to be included in that agreement by virtue of subsection (3).

(6) Where the House Commissions settle a difference referred to them under subsection (4)—

(a) their decision is binding on the Sponsor Body and the Delivery Authority, and

(b) the programme delivery agreement is to be treated as reflecting that decision.

(7) The programme delivery agreement may be varied by agreement between the Sponsor Body and the Delivery Authority (and subsections (4) to (6) also apply in relation to any failure to agree a variation of a relevant matter).