MPs have reacted with dismay after it emerged a plan to save money by replacing parliament’s historic silver cutlery with stainless steel could leave the taxpayer out of pocket.
The downgrade to tableware in the exclusive restaurants at Westminster was originally proposed two years ago, amid alarm over a £72,000 bill for cleaning and maintenance of the silver.
Catering chiefs suggested buying a new stainless steel set – potentially made in Vietnam or Taiwan – for £17,000.
But after a series of rows the savings, initially estimated at more than £10,000 a year, appear to have evaporated and costs could end up being thousands of pounds higher.
The silver cutlery that has been used in the dining rooms at the House of Commons
Catering chiefs at the Commons suggested saving money by buying new stainless steel cutlery – potentially made in Vietnam or Taiwan – for £17,000
Details of the switchover, contained in Commons documents seen by MailOnline, will fuel concerns about the way the House is being run.
The authorities were recently forced to admit that costs for renovating the Elizabeth Tower had nearly doubled to £60million.
The cutlery changeover was approved by the cross-party Administration Committee in 2015, but it soon ran into opposition from traditionalist MPs who complained about ‘pennypinching’ cuts.
There were protests about the plan to leave off the Portcullis logo from the new equipment, a move intended to discourage thefts.
Meanwhile, Sheffield-based politicians were livid at the prospect of the House buying cutlery made outside the UK.
As a result, the tender issued by the Commons last year specified that the cutlery should be able to bear the Portcullis stamp.
The tableware also had to be ‘in keeping with the techniques of traditional Sheffield cutlery’.
The House has now finally awarded the contract to Crewe-based firm Alliance Disposables Ltd, and confirmed the cutlery will be manufactured in the UK.
But the estimated cost of £45,000 plus VAT over the three year term suggests that the hoped for savings will not materialise.
In 2015 the cost of keeping the silver cutlery was put at £72,000 plus VAT over five years – giving an estimated cost over three of just over £43,000.
Tory MP Jacob Rees-Mogg, who led opposition to the cutlery shake-up, told MailOnline he was not surprised by the news
The Commons authorities argue that the bill to the taxpayer could still end up being £21,000 lower if the contract is extended for an extra two years, because the ongoing ‘replenishment’ costs are likely to less than keeping the silver.
However, they concede that the details have not yet been hammered out. Even that scenario would only mean savings of around £4,200 a year, or £80 a week.
A Commons spokesman said: ‘The House of Commons is in the process of moving from silver to stainless steel cutlery, which will be more durable and reduce the cost to the taxpayer.
‘The implementation stage of the cutlery contract has not yet been concluded and talks are ongoing to arrive at a satisfactory outcome that will deliver both quality and savings to the taxpayer.’
Tory MP Jacob Rees-Mogg, who led opposition to the cutlery shake-up, told MailOnline he was not surprised by the news.
‘It looks like another example of “penny wise and pound foolish”,’ he said. ‘Look a the escalation of costs on Big Ben.
‘It is indicative of general issues about how money in the Palace of Westminster is spent.’