Overview

• The commission has appointed former National Audit Office chief Lord Morse to lead an independent investigation into the automated Peers’ Entrance project.
• Project costs rose by nearly 60% from an initial £6.1 million estimate to £9.6 million, prompting scrutiny of budget controls.
• The malfunctioning door now requires a security officer to open it manually, at an estimated £2,500 per week in staffing costs.
• Senior Deputy Speaker Lord Gardiner confirmed that contractors must fund urgent repairs and that existing staff will handle manual operation.
• The audit will assess whether defects stemmed from manufacturing faults, installation errors or misidentified requirements and examine decision-making processes.