§ Mr. Jesselasked the Secretary of State for Scotland how much money has been authorised to date for expenditure on an Assembly building; what part of such sum is irretrievably committed in terms of contract; and how such expenditure was authorised.
§ Mr. MarksI have been asked to reply.
I refer the hon. Member to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Lord President on 14th April 1976. The house subsequently approved an Estimate authorising expenditure in 1976–77 of £1.05 million on the acquisition and conversion of the former Royal High School buildings in Edinburgh, and Estimates for 1977–78 to continue the work were published on 29th March. To date, a purchase price of £0.65 million has been paid and contracts to an aggregate value of £1.03 million have been let.