03 July 2008
Jack Straw has announced improvements to the new Supreme Court building which will protect the historic building for future generations.
The Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice (Jack Straw):
I wish to update the House on the construction costs of the Supreme Court for the United Kingdom.
The overall development of the Supreme Court is progressing according to plan and we expect to open the Supreme Court as predicted for the start of the legal year in October 2009.
At the beginning of 2008 some movement to the fabric of the building was found around the parapet and tower at Middlesex Guildhall. Over the years water penetration had reached structural steelwork embedded within the masonry at high level. The steel has corroded causing movement and cracking of the stone facing of the building.
The damage is, I am told, not a significant risk to delivery of the new Supreme Court. Repairing it will increase the overall cost of the building by around £2 million above those costs announced by my predecessor in June 2007.
In 2007 Lord Falconer reported estimated set-up costs of £56.9 million (£36.7 million for building work, and £20.2 million for professional adviser fees, programme team costs, furniture, IT services and library costs).
We continue to work closely with Westminster City Council and English Heritage to preserve and protect this important building for future generations.
In addition, the security provision at Middlesex Guildhall has been reassessed in line with other high profile central government and court buildings in Central London. We expect this to increase the overall construction costs to the Programme and will inform the House when we have the final figure.