§ Lord James Douglas-Hamiltonasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement about the future use of Inverleith house following the removal of the gallery of modern art.
§ Mr. YoungerI am aware of the public interest in the future of Inverleith house, and have considered a number of suggestions regarding its future use. It is my intention that the character of this fine Georgian mansion should be preserved and that the public should continue to have access to it.
Accordingly, I have decided that the house should be cared for and maintained by the Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh, in whose grounds the house stands. The normal exhibition area will reopen to the public next spring following minor internal alterations. There will be two major exhibitions in 1985, one featuring the entries to the Rosyth church architectural competition run by the Property Services Agency, and the other relating to the centenary of the Scottish Office. Details of these will be announced separately.
In the longer term, the Royal Botanic Garden will establish standing exhibitions of horticultural and botanical interest. These will include aspects of garden design, including gardens and plants of Scotland, which should be of considerable public interest. I believe that the development of this facility would be unique in the world. The house will also be used from time to time to accommodate exhibitions sponsored by other bodies.