Parliamentary authorities launch investigation after car windscreen smashed by falling masonry

Parliamentary authorities have launched an urgent investigation after a piece of masonry fell from the parliamentary estate and smashed a car windscreen.

Posting a photo of the incident outside the Grade I-listed Norman Shaw North building – built between 1886 and 1890 - the Conservative MP Will Quince said it was evidence of why the parliamentary estate was in need of “urgent repair’.

Estate authorities have now said the entrance to the building, which is used as an office for MPs and their staff, has now been closed for health and safety reasons until further notice.

“The incident is being investigated by parliamentary authorities as a matter of urgency,” a parliamentary spokesman added.

Mr Quince, who later deleted the image on Twitter of the smashed windscreen of the Toyota Prius, said: “The stone fell off the top of the building. Imagine if this had hit someone. Unthinkable.”

He later added: “As instructed I have the deleted the tweet from earlier but to be clear, I cropped out the background and car details for security reasons. I appreciate the picture is embarrassing on the parliamentary authorities given how serious this could have been had the masonry hit someone.”

Mims Davis, another Conservative MP, said the incident was “absolutely shocking” and occurred near her office. “Very glad nobody was very seriously injured or, heaven forbid, even worse,” she added.

Multibillion-pound renovations are urgently required on the crumbling parliamentary estate but MPs have, so far, failed to reach a consensus on whether politicians in both the Commons and the Lords should vacate the premises while the building work is underway.