Daniel Bentley

MPs have spent more than £3m of taxpayers' cash redesigning the parliamentary website, it has been revealed.

The overhaul, which has taken more than two years, was approved in an effort to make the Houses of Parliament more accessible.

The total bill now stands at £3,644,000, according to figures released by the House of Commons Commission, the committee chaired by Speaker Michael Martin.

Further running costs of the website totalled £239,000 last year. The redesign, described as a "radical upgrade" by MPs, was urged by the Commons Modernisation Committee and sanctioned in 2006.

Nick Harvey, spokesman for the House of Commons Commission, said the enhancements included "improved design and navigation", and "simpler presentation" of bills and a "greatly improved" search engine.

The money also bought an online calendar of Parliament business and a section explaining its role.