Future MPs who serve one term may never sit in the House of Commons because of
plans to relocate Parliament while renovations are carried out on the Palace
of Westminster, a Conservative has warned.

At least £1 billion of building work is needed on the Houses of Parliament to remove asbestos and upgrade water and electricity supplies.

There have been suggestions that MPs could sit in the House of Lords or move out of the building to the nearby QE2 conference centre while the works take place.

Pauline Latham, the Conservative MP for Mid Derbyshire, warned that if the plans go ahead, some MPs may never sit on the famous green benches of the Commons.

“My concern is that if we decant from this place for five years, which has been rumoured, new Members in 2015 might never serve in this Chamber,” she said. “That would be detrimental to their experience of being in Parliament, if they serve only one term.”

MPs have previously suggested moving Parliament to the Olympic Park in East London or even to Birmingham.

A report earlier this year warned that the Houses of Parliament may not survive for future generations “without a major mid-life overhaul”.

John Thurso, the Liberal Democrat MP for Caithness who is a spokesman for the House of Commons Commission, said that any decision about a possible relocation of Parliament will not be made until after the next election.

He said: “The critical point is that no decision will be possible until the next Parliament, so no decision will be taken on whatever option may be thought be best until sometime in the next Parliament.

“It will be the Parliament after that before the decision is implemented. The key factor is that all Members of both Houses want to achieve the best value for money for the taxpayer, who will ultimately be paying for this. That should be the guiding principle, provided we can work appropriately.”