• Publish Your article
  • Editorial Policy
  • Contact
  • Advertise
Friday, October 10, 2025
No Result
View All Result
UK Herald
  • Home
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Entertainment
    • All
    • Sports
    England rugby stadium Twickenham given new name after more than 100 years in shock new deal

    England rugby stadium Twickenham given new name after more than 100 years in shock new deal

    Peter Morgan dead at 65: Former Wales and Lions rugby star who became a politician passes away as club pays tribute

    Peter Morgan dead at 65: Former Wales and Lions rugby star who became a politician passes away as club pays tribute

    Horse racing tips: Unexposed Group 1 contender can stun the big guns at 14-1

    Horse racing tips: Unexposed Group 1 contender can stun the big guns at 14-1

    Woman ‘raped seven times by two French rugby stars who left her riddled with bite marks & with horror injuries’

    Woman ‘raped seven times by two French rugby stars who left her riddled with bite marks & with horror injuries’

    Horse racing tips: Gary Moore’s charge can gain revenge after falling last time out

    Horse racing tips: Gary Moore’s charge can gain revenge after falling last time out

    Ian Buckett dead at 56: Former Wales rugby star who was ‘admired and feared equally’ dies as tributes pour in

    Ian Buckett dead at 56: Former Wales rugby star who was ‘admired and feared equally’ dies as tributes pour in

    Horse racing tips: Bash the bookies with these longshots including 9-1 fancy

    Horse racing tips: Bash the bookies with these longshots including 9-1 fancy

    Shayne Philpott dead at 58 – New Zealand All Blacks rugby legend dies after suffering ‘medical event’

    Shayne Philpott dead at 58 – New Zealand All Blacks rugby legend dies after suffering ‘medical event’

    Horse racing tips: This 7-1 chance appears to have been laid out for race he won last year

    Horse racing tips: This 7-1 chance appears to have been laid out for race he won last year

  • Lifestyle
    • All
    • Fashion
    • food
    • Health
    • Travel
    This historic Japanese city is hiking its tourist tax by 900% to stop you coming

    This historic Japanese city is hiking its tourist tax by 900% to stop you coming

    Major airline removes carry-on bag sizers from boarding gates

    Major airline removes carry-on bag sizers from boarding gates

    Qatar Airways Al Mourjan Business Lounge review: ‘It doesn’t get bigger than this…’

    Qatar Airways Al Mourjan Business Lounge review: ‘It doesn’t get bigger than this…’

    What is Bleach or Facial, Best for Skin?

    What is Bleach or Facial, Best for Skin?

    Tourists are flocking to a mind-bending Chinese megacity where Google Maps doesn’t work

    Tourists are flocking to a mind-bending Chinese megacity where Google Maps doesn’t work

    An ESTA change has just made travelling to America more expensive for Brits

    An ESTA change has just made travelling to America more expensive for Brits

    The best Maldives alternatives that are cheaper — and three are in Europe

    The best Maldives alternatives that are cheaper — and three are in Europe

    Italy strikes for Gaza: What tourists need to know amid travel disruption in Rome and Milan

    Italy strikes for Gaza: What tourists need to know amid travel disruption in Rome and Milan

    ‘Dystopian’ cruise ship divides travellers — and gives a glimpse into the future

    ‘Dystopian’ cruise ship divides travellers — and gives a glimpse into the future

    Airline launches flights from £9 to European hotspots including Majorca, Alicante and Seville

    Airline launches flights from £9 to European hotspots including Majorca, Alicante and Seville

    Trending Tags

    • Golden Globes
    • Mr. Robot
    • MotoGP 2017
    • Climate Change
    • Flat Earth
  • Health
  • Opinion
  • Science
  • Tech
  • Crypto
  • Travel
  • Real Estate
  • Sports
  • More
    • Press Release
UK Herald
No Result
View All Result

Taxpayers forking out £20,000 a day to keep MPs warm in crumbling Houses of Parliament

by Justin Marsh
December 25, 2023
0
0
SHARES
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterReddit


MPs are blowing £20,000-a-day on energy bills – by filling the Houses of Parliament with hot air.

Taxpayers forked out £7.1m last year to cover gas and electricity bills on the crumbling Parliamentary Estate.

e71217ae dba7 4553 a813 6b4ab05ec6ab
Millions are being spent each year on heating up the Parliamentary estate
Rex

The 163-year-old Palace of Westminster is notoriously inefficient to heat because of its draughty windows, doors, brickwork and roof space.

The estate racked up an electricity bill of £5.88m in 2022/23 and shelled out another £1.19m on gas.

The eye-watering total sum is £4.4m more than the combined energy bills for all seven occupied Royal residences, including Buckingham Palace.

And it comes despite Parliament having a deal that sees it pay half for energy than the average UK household.

Officials are paying suppliers EDF just 14.71p per KW of electricity – while the average family forks out 30.11p per KW.

For gas, Parliament paid British Gas and Total just 4.35p a unit – ordinary folk are charged on average around 7.51p.

Simon Francis, coordinator of the End Fuel Poverty Coalition, said: “MPs and the public are both suffering in cold and damp buildings.

“But while politicians in parliament are insulated from the soaring price of energy, constituents face bills at record levels, leaving many unable to heat their homes or put enough food on the table this winter.”

MPs have been debating how to fix the Parliamentary Estates for decades, with electricity and water supplies in dire need of upgrading.

Plug sockets are known to buzz and spark and many chilly staff use plug-in heaters which often overwhelm the electrics.

MPs have reported falling masonry and urine seeping into their offices from leaking waste pipes.

Repairing the Unesco world heritage site could cost up to £13 billion and require MPs to move out for 20 years.

Sheep wool was stuffed into Westminster roof in 2015 after energy experts revealed the structure was wasting “copious” amounts of power.

Its current energy efficiency score of 121 is well below the typical UK public building score of 100.

A Parliamentary Estate spokesman said: “Parliament operates to a heating season which is modified annually according to weather conditions.

“If the weather is unseasonably warm at the start of the heating season agreement is sought to delay switching on the heating, conversely if the weather is unseasonably cold the heating is switched on earlier.

“The heating season is generally from mid-September to mid-April.

“This reflects difficulties in overcoming thermal mass in a building with a large number of difficult to heat spaces with considerable floor to ceiling heights and issues regarding the fabric of the building.”

A parliamentary spokesperson said: “Parliamentary authorities take energy efficiency very seriously, and have a commitment to reducing Parliament’s environmental impacts.

“Since 2008, Parliament has reduced its carbon emissions by 54% and its gas consumption by 31%, with consumption of electricity and gas continuing to fall as we make improvements to energy efficiency across the estate.

“We have secured a good deal for taxpayers to provide energy to the estate, through the Crown Commercial Service’s Supply of Energy and Ancillary Services Framework on a fixed term.”



Source link

Related Posts

Immigration crackdown necessary for ‘open, generous, tolerant’ society, Mahmood says

Immigration crackdown necessary for ‘open, generous, tolerant’ society, Mahmood says

by Justin Marsh
October 10, 2025
0

Immigrants will be required to meet stricter conditions in order to earn the right to stay in the UK permanently, under a new government crackdown. Labour has announced that a government consultation...

Clive Lewis: ‘Robin Cook showed us politics at its most serious. Labour has lost that balance’

Clive Lewis: ‘Robin Cook showed us politics at its most serious. Labour has lost that balance’

by Justin Marsh
October 8, 2025
0

Delivering the Robin Cook memorial lecture was one of the greatest privileges of my time in Parliament. But it wasn’t just a privilege – it was a burden too. The name Robin...

Obama in London: Have Starmer and Labour already shown they were listening?

Obama in London: Have Starmer and Labour already shown they were listening?

by Justin Marsh
October 6, 2025
0

They say never meet your heroes, but I have to disagree. Last week in London I met president Barack Obama. He radiated charisma, charm and patience to all the many people he encountered....

Week-in-Review: The calling of Keir Starmer

Week-in-Review: The calling of Keir Starmer

by Justin Marsh
October 4, 2025
0

“Now, the Tories – do you remember them?” Keir Starmer had spoken for a full 50 minutes before acknowledging the existence of Labour’s historic rival. The line was met with laughter –...

Animal health ‘fundamental’ to rebuilding trust with rural communities, says Labour MP

Animal health ‘fundamental’ to rebuilding trust with rural communities, says Labour MP

by Justin Marsh
October 2, 2025
0

A Labour MP has described animal health as “fundamental” to a wider attempt to rebuild trust with rural communities.  Speaking on the Labour conference fringe, Josh Newbury, the MP for Cannock Chase,...

Labour branded ‘nasty party’ after minister calls Ed Davey ‘fat bloke in wetsuit’

Labour branded ‘nasty party’ after minister calls Ed Davey ‘fat bloke in wetsuit’

by Justin Marsh
September 30, 2025
0

A senior minister has referred to the Liberal Democrat leader, Ed Davey, as a “fat bloke in a wetsuit”. Torsten Bell, who serves jointly as a pensions and Treasury minister, delivered the...

Next Post
Sneaky Sir Keir Starmer cannot be allowed to pull the wool over the eyes of voters

Sneaky Sir Keir Starmer cannot be allowed to pull the wool over the eyes of voters

Popular News

Immigration crackdown necessary for ‘open, generous, tolerant’ society, Mahmood says

Immigration crackdown necessary for ‘open, generous, tolerant’ society, Mahmood says

October 10, 2025
This historic Japanese city is hiking its tourist tax by 900% to stop you coming

This historic Japanese city is hiking its tourist tax by 900% to stop you coming

October 10, 2025
Daily Mail appoints ‘world’s first’ influencer correspondent

Daily Mail appoints ‘world’s first’ influencer correspondent

October 9, 2025
Clive Lewis: ‘Robin Cook showed us politics at its most serious. Labour has lost that balance’

Clive Lewis: ‘Robin Cook showed us politics at its most serious. Labour has lost that balance’

October 8, 2025
Nobel Prize of Physics to 3 American Scientists for Energy Level Search

Nobel Prize of Physics to 3 American Scientists for Energy Level Search

October 7, 2025
Major airline removes carry-on bag sizers from boarding gates

Major airline removes carry-on bag sizers from boarding gates

October 7, 2025
Nobel Prize in Medicine for the discovery of 'Peripheral Immune Tolerance'

Nobel Prize in Medicine for the discovery of 'Peripheral Immune Tolerance'

October 6, 2025
UK Herald

All Rights Reserved © UK HERALD - The Voice of UK

Important Links

  • Publish Your article
  • Editorial Policy
  • Contact
  • Advertise

...

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Politics
  • UK News
  • Business
  • Science
  • National
  • Entertainment
  • Gaming
  • Sports
  • Fashion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Health
  • Food

All Rights Reserved © UK HERALD - The Voice of UK