WATCH: Parliament’s vermin problem sparks fresh concern as video emerges of rats on Commons terrace
2 min read
Parliament officials are under fresh pressure to tackle a growing vermin problem after footage emerged of rats fighting over food on the House of Commons terrace.
The rodents were filmed eating scraps as shocked MPs and their guests mingled just yards away.
Trolleys from the nearby Terrace Cafeteria were covered with food remains, which proved irresistible to the rats.
The small creatures could be heard squeaking as they fought one another for the tasty morsels.
The building, which is a Unesco world heritage site, has long had problems controlling vermin, with traps littering the hallways.
Over the summer it was revealed that the cost of tackling the rodent problem had risen to £130,000 a year.
The footage led to fresh concerns over whether Commons bosses should step up efforts to tackle the infestation.
Labour MP Clive Efford told PoliticsHome: "The palace has been overrun with them since before I was elected 20 years ago.
"It appears it is impossible to deal with them in such an old building."
In a statement, a parliamentary spokesman said: “The Parliamentary Estate, like all buildings in central London, is vulnerable to rodents.
"Our cleaning and pest control teams work round the clock to ensure that all buildings on the Parliamentary Estate comply with regulatory standards and are safe places to work."
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