§ Mr. SalmondTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the projected capital cost for the Scottish Parliament Building of(a) furniture, (b) catering facilities, (c) exterior decoration and (d) interior decoration; what is the total estimated cost of the building; and how many (i) MSPs, (ii) Parliamentary staff and (iii) ancillary staff will be accommodated in the new building. [69102]
§ Mr. Dewar[holding answer 8 February 1999]: The budget for the construction of the new Parliament building at Holyrood continues to be estimated at £50 million excluding fees and VAT. The cost of interior and exterior decoration is included in this figure, as is the provision of catering facilities and kitchen accommodation. The cost of furniture cannot be calculated until the final designs are completed. The building will accommodate 129 MSPs and around 300 Parliamentary staff. The number of ancillary staff will depend on the terms of any contracts which are in place when the Parliament moves to Holyrood.
§ Mr. GorrieTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what proposals have been put forward by(a) his Department and (b) the City of Edinburgh Council to cope 465W with the additional traffic which will be generated by the new Scottish Parliament building and large developments nearby. [69712]
§ Mr. DewarThe Scottish Office and the City of Edinburgh Council, together with LEEL, Historic Scotland and the Palace of Holyroodhouse, are currently considering traffic management issues in the Holyrood area. In the light of a study by Halcrow Fox Associates, possible options for roads in the area include closing the bottom of Holyrood Road and traffic calming Horse Wynd. A further study is presently under way which will help inform proposals relating to improving access to the area by means other than by car.