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MPs argue over value of new nursery for Commons

Plans by the House of Commons Commission to turn a bar in the House of Commons into a nursery providing childcare for up to 40 children have been criticised by Conservatives as a 'reckless waste of taxpayers' money', while Labour has accused the Tories of being 'anachronistic'.

During Question Time in the House last week, Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, Conservative MP for the Cotswolds, said the process for setting up the nursery had been 'unacceptable and undemocratic'.

Mr Clifton-Brown claimed that £400,000 had been spent on refurbishing Bellamy's bar, and that the proposal to rip it all out and turn it into a nursery would cost an additional £400,000.

Christopher Chope, Conservative MP for Christchurch, said it was a 'reckless waste of taxpayers' money'. He recently presented a petition to the Commons against converting the bar into a nursery signed by 470 people.

Speaking on behalf of the Commission, Nick Harvey, Liberal Democrat MP for North Devon, said 'the recent refurbishment in Bellamy's involves a significant amount of work and furnishing that can be reused' and that 'about a third of the cost can be used directly'.

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