00:00It's been reported that more than 1,650 asbestos items have been identified across Parliament,
00:07including the Palace of Westminster. That's 500 more than were recorded in 2021,
00:12although 700 items have been removed. The discoveries were made during surveys ahead
00:18of a restoration project. Almost 200 items are classed as medium risk, while most are
00:25considered low risk because they are concealed. Parliamentary authorities say staff and visitor
00:31safety is their priority, with monitoring and training in place. MPs are being urged to decide
00:38how to tackle the building's refurbishment, which could cost up to £40 billion.
