The huge costs of proposals have resulted in a Select Committee investigation by Members of Parliament.
The chairman of the House of Commons Treasury Select Committee, Andrew Tyrie, has been widely reported as saying that there is insufficient evidence to justify the estimated costs of up to £4 billion.
The Palace has not had a major renovation of its mechanical and electrical services since it was built in the mid-1800s, leading to a substantial and growing risk that a catastrophic event such as a major fire, or incremental system failures, will lead to the building being uninhabitable.
Proposals to be debated by the House of Commons could mean that MPs and peers would have to vacate the building for up to eight years while work is completed.
Mr Tyrie said that reports into the work did not provide enough evidence to come even to a preliminary decision on these proposals, hence the Select Committee investigation. He said the proposals need thorough scrutiny.
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