HC Deb 08 March 1978 vol 945 cc1404-5
3. Mr. Canavan

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the estimated annual expenditure on the Palace of Holyrood House, Edinburgh.

The Under-Secretary of State for the Environment (Mr. Kenneth Marks)

The estimated gross expenditure by the Department on the Palace of Holyrood House for 1977–78 is £378,940.

Mr. Canavan

Instead of spending all that public money on a costly white elephant, which is normally used for only one Royal visit and a couple of garden parties every year, will the Government consider the Palace of Holyrood House as a possible meeting place for the Scottish Assembly? If the Royal Family are stuck for digs when they visit Edinburgh, they could apply for admission to the Royal High School.

Mr. Marks

I should explain that the Palace is open to visitors throughout the year, except on occasions when the Royal Family or the Commissioner stay there. I am not sure whether the Scottish Assembly would want to emulate this Parliament by moving into a Royal Palace as we did in the sixteenth century. On that occasion the King invited the Commons into the Palace and closed the chapel for that purpose. I think that perhaps my hon. Friend's question ought to go to another place.