UP to £100,000 is to be spent refurbishing two toilets used by peers and VIP guests at the Palace of Westminster, according to a House of Commons contract.

The House of Lords lavatories give a poor image of the palace and are in an "unacceptable condition for the high-profile area they are in", adds the work description put out to tender via the website government-online.net.

The paperwork states the last revamp took place more than 20 years ago, and the contract is valued by the House of Commons authorities at between £90,000 and £100,000.

The work to ensure the toilets in the Salisbury Room area comply with disability access legislation is estimated to take 42 days to complete.

Work listed in the contract includes installing "historic oak panelling to meet English Heritage requirements", minor demolition work, new decorations and new sanitary equipment.

The toilets were first installed in 1937.