§ Mr. Charles KennedyTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total sum of public money involved in the preparation and presentation of the application for millennium funding towards the proposed Scottish National Gallery project; and if he will make a statement. [37128]
§ Mr. Galbraith[holding answer 31 March 1998]I understand that the total estimated costs incurred by the National Galleries of Scotland (NGS) over the 7 year period since 1991 to date in developing their proposals to establish a new National Gallery in Glasgow were £650,000. This includes expenditure on the preparation and presentation of the two applications which they submitted to the Heritage Lottery Fund, the first in respect of the former Post Office building in George Square and the second in respect of the former Sheriff Court building in Ingram Street.
456WThe Glasgow Development Agency has also incurred expenditure estimated at some £400,000 on the proposed project over the past 5 years, particularly on site investigations, technical consultancies and an architectural competition. I understand that much of this expenditure would have been necessary whatever uses had been contemplated for these buildings and that little of it was directly related to the applications for Lottery funding made by the NGS.