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LONDON, March 10 (Xinhua) -- Politicians should completely quit the Houses of Parliament to restore the famous UNESCO World Heritage Site to its former glory, a Members of Parliament (MPs) committee said Friday.
In its report, Parliament's Public Accounts Committee said a full decant of the Palace of Westminster while major works are undertaken is most likely to be the most economical, effective and efficient choice to restore the historic building.
The committee concluded that the Houses of Parliament were in an extreme state of disrepair, citing growing risks such as fire, water penetration, sewage inundation, electrical failure or other mechanical breakdown as possible scenarios.
A full decant from Westminster would see both the House of Commons and the House of Lords fully vacating the palace while the project is completed over an estimated six years.
In its report the committee said: "For a World Heritage Site that is the home of the "mother of parliaments, doing nothing is not an option," adding its recommendation that the House of Commons make a swift decision to leave the palace for the duration of restoration.
Construction works are expected to cost up to 4.75 billion U.S. dollars.
