The Cotswolds MP has demanded action after fires every month in Parliament.

Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown is among a number of MPs calling for repairs to the Palace of Westminster amid amid criticism of the “cack-handed” project to fix the Palace of Westminster.

MPs approved a motion to abolish the restoration and renewal project’s sponsor body and bring the governance “in-house”.

Commons Leader Mark Spencer said a rethink is needed to ensure value for money is offered to taxpayers and insisted no options are ruled out under the new project management arrangements, including moving MPs and peers elsewhere during the works.

But several MPs bemoaned further delays to the project and raised concerns about the risks faced by the Victorian palace.

The debate came a day after a broken air conditioning unit led to water leaking into the Commons chamber.

Conservative MP Sir Geoffrey said the debate could “not be more timely” given the leak.

He added: “There are small fires reported virtually every month in this place.

“And it is only by the diligence and hard work of the staff in this place, patrolling virtually on a 24-hour basis on fire watch, that nothing more serious has happened.”

“I fear we are leaving the building at a risk of much large failure than a leak in the roof, which inevitably would involve us in having to move out of Parliament and leave us all looking rather stupid that we didn’t actually take major action quicker.”

MPs and peers agreed in 2018 to a plan that would see both the Commons and Lords move to temporary facilities near the existing site, a “full decant”, to allow essential repairs and upgrades to be made.

But a review of the plans was carried out amid concerns about the cost, which was estimated at £4 billion in 2014 but has since spiralled.

Conservative former Commons leader Chris Grayling said MPs were “deeply, deeply frustrated” that it has taken seven years to get to the current point of the project and spoke in favour of a proposal which he described as the “bloody hell get on with it” amendment.