§ 3. Mr. Canavanasked 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. CanavanInstead 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. MarksI 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 1405 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.