People & the Palace of Westminster

Public Engagement

The Public Engagement Strategy

We are committed to engaging, informing and listening to the public throughout the duration of the Restoration and Renewal Programme. Our Public Engagement Strategy sets out how we will make that commitment a reality.
The Strategy describes the rationale, objectives and principles guiding our approach to public engagement. It also covers some key themes, how we will target our activity, and the different stages of engagement.

The Public Views Report

Between 2020 - 2022, more than 20,000 people from across all four nations of the UK shared their views about the restoration and renewal of the Palace of Westminster.

Members of the public and more than 6,000 schoolchildren were among those who shared their opinions.

Get Involved

We will seek to connect with as many people as possible through the different stages of the Restoration and Renewal Programme, ensuring that everyone across the UK who wants to has the chance to be informed and involved.

The Online Conversation

As part of the Restoration and Renewal Programme, we’re exploring how to make the Palace of Westminster more inclusive, environmentally sustainable, and a place that celebrates its unique heritage. We’re also focused on creating jobs and building skills across the UK.

In summer 2021, we invited the public to share ideas on access, inclusion, sustainability, heritage, and skills. These contributions are helping shape the detailed and costed restoration plan. The Online Conversation is now closed, but you can still view the submitted ideas here.

People’s History Museum, Manchester

Children and young people are a key audience for the Restoration and Renewal Programme—as future voters, parliamentarians, and custodians of the Palace of Westminster, their voices matter.

In October 2021, we hosted family sessions and met with the Wigan and Leigh Youth Cabinet at the People’s History Museum in Manchester during a special ‘Take Over’ day. As the national museum of democracy, it provided an ideal setting to explore ideas about the future of Parliament.

The views shared will feed into the wider public engagement programme and help shape the restoration plans.

Find out more about People’s History Museum.

The Big Debate Club

To hear directly from children and young people, we partnered with educational charity Smart School Councils, to run a series of Restoration and Renewal-themed debates through their Big Debate Club.

Thousands of students from schools across all four UK nations took part during summer 2021, sharing their views on access, sustainability, heritage, and the wider impact of restoring the Palace of Westminster. 

You can view all the results of the R&R themed Big Debate Clubs, watch the videos and access all the free supporting materials online.

Debate library

How important is it that the Houses of Parliament Building is protected and saved for future generations?

How important is it that the Houses of Parliament building sets an example for protecting the environment?

How important is it for people to be able to visit the Houses of Parliament building?

Community Conversations

To ensure a broad range of public views inform the Restoration and Renewal Programme, we worked with democratic participation charity Involve to engage communities less likely to interact with Parliament or formal politics.

In 2021, Involve facilitated 16 workshops with grassroots organisations across the UK, involving 300 participants and generating around 600 hours of discussion. The insights gathered are helping shape the restoration plans to better reflect diverse perspectives

The insights were published in a report which is available on the Involve website.