§ 17. Mr. Knoxasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what progress has been made in converting the Royal high school 654 in Edinburgh for the proposed Scottish Assembly.
§ Mr. Harry EwingSatisfactory progress has been made and all the work should be complete by next summer.
§ Mr. Alexander FletcherIs the Minister aware that people in Scotland are seriously asking what will happen to that building in the event of a "No" vote? Will he tell the House what contingency plans the Government have in mind?
§ Mr. EwingI have never noticed the hon. Member for Edinburgh, North (Mr. Fletcher) making any serious contribution to this debate. As I have already explained, the hypothetical situation presumably now does not arise. If the Tories in Scotland are in favour of devolution, it has to be presumed that even their system will require a building in which to work.
§ Mr. WattWhen does the Minister expect to be able to tell the House the dates of the Assembly elections? Can he now say when we can expect to be in the Assembly?
§ Mr. EwingI can hazard a guess as to when the hon. Gentleman can expect to be out of Parliament, but not when he can expect to be in the Assembly. I certainly could not anticipate the date of the elections.
§ Mr. FairbairnWhat will happen to the unseen rather than the obscene in connection with the Assembly? What plans exist to move all the present bureaucrats out of old St. Andrew's House into New St. Andrew's House, all those in New St. Andrew's House out of New St. Andrew's House into another building, and what is the estimated cost?
§ Mr. EwingI saw the letter on which that question was based. Far from no one knowing anything about what has been happening, these matters have been widely discussed. We shall make the fullest use of old St. Andrew's House, 655 New St. Andrew's House and any additional accommodation that we might have to ask permission to purchase.