The government has spent more than £140,000 on efforts to remove bed bugs from London offices in the last two years, it has emerged.
The Government Property Agency spent £103,170 getting rid of the parasitic insects at 10 South Colonnade in Canary Wharf – a government hub which hosts officials from the UK Heath Security Agency, Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency and Ministry of Justice.
It also spent £28,564 in 2023 on treatment to remove them at 1 Victoria Street, a building which was previously the HQ for the business department but closed in 2024 as part of the government’s plans to reduce the number of Whitehall buildings. The treatment included furniture removal, heat treatment, using sniffer dogs, according to newspaper the i, which revealed the data through a Freedom of Information request.
The GPA, an executive agency of the Cabinet Office responsible for managing government property, spent a further £11,072 on bed bug treatment at the Home Office’s Marsham Street HQ. CSW revealed the bed bug issue at Marsham Street last year.
The GPA's efforts to tackle bed bugs included “dog detection air sampling”, according to the i.
FDA union assistant general secretary Lucille Thirlby said it was "absolutely right that the government has spent this money to treat infestations". Speaking to the i, she said: “Issues like this are a major concern and, when identified, must be eliminated as quickly as possible. Failure to do so can have a hugely negative impact on staff morale and productivity, not to mention the obvious risks to their health and wellbeing."
A Cabinet Office spokesperson said: "All offices require upkeep and maintenance; issues with potential to impact the wellbeing of those using our buildings are prioritised and addressed promptly and professionally.
"In these instances, affected areas were isolated and treated successfully to prevent wider outbreaks."