13 April 2024 , 18:45
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Parliament bosses splashed more than £3,000 changing Westminster’s clocks last weekend.
Data released under Freedom of Information laws reveal the Commons and Lords paid out £3,288.68 in overtime and travel costs for staff to come in and change every clock in the Palace of Westminster over the course of the Easter weekend.
It’s more than double the £1,233.82 cost of changing the clocks from British Summer Time to Greenwich Meantime in November last year, most likely because of increased overtime costs over the bank holiday weekend. It’s not clear if this included the cost of moving the giant hands on Big Ben.
It's thought there are around 2,000 clocks in the building, and it takes around 16 hours for maintenance staff to go around the building's winding corridors changing them all by hand.
Releasing the data, a Parliament official noted staff “often undertake other duties” during their overtime as well as changing the clocks. Officials said the House of Lords contributed 40% of the total cost, and the costs were met with existing budgets.
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Parliamentary authorities have previously admitted the cost of ensuring the Big Ben bell chimed while the Elizabeth Tower was undergoing refurbishment was nearly £100,000. The bell was rung on Remembrance Sunday from 2017-2019 and New Year's Eve in 2018 and 2019 - with the £96,885 cost going on top of the cost of the refurb.