HC Deb 17 March 1998 vol 308 cc570-1W
30. Mrs. Fyfe

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received on the subject of equal representation of men and women in the Scottish Parliament. [33184]

Mr. McLeish

The Scottish Office has received six letters making representations about equal representation in the Scottish Parliament. The subject has also been raised with me orally on many occasions by different bodies and individuals.

Mrs. Ewing

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he has made of the cost of upgrading(a) Calton Hill, Edinburgh, (b) the Mound, Edinburgh, and (c) the proposed Glasgow sites to the required standard for the Scottish parliament. [33881]

Mr. Dewar

In preparing assessments of options for interim accommodation for the Scottish Parliament, my officials have made outline estimates of the comparative capital and running costs of solutions based on the Church of Scotland Assembly Hall on the Mound, Edinburgh; the Old Royal High School Building, Edinburgh; and the former Strathclyde Region chambers at Charing Cross, Glasgow. These estimates include capital costs of upgrading the buildings, and rent and rates over a 2-year period. The costs cover office accommodation required by the Parliament.

  • The overall estimates are:
  • The Assembly Hall, Edinburgh: £4m
  • Old Royal High School, Edinburgh: £5m
  • Charing Cross, Glasgow: £3m.

The Edinburgh options do not take account of space currently occupied by the City of Edinburgh Council.

Mrs. Ewing

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the buildings and their total available floor space under consideration as short-term accommodation for the Scottish Parliament at(a) Calton Hill, Edinburgh, (b) the Mound, Edinburgh, and (c) Glasgow. [33883]

Mr. Dewar

The buildings and their total available floor space currently under consideration as interim accommodation for the Scottish Parliament are as follows:

sq. ft.
Old Royal High School 22,000
Office accommodation 76,000
Assembly Hall 13,800
Office accommodation 79,500
Glasgow complex 134,000

The figures for office accommodation in Edinburgh are based on known availability of commercial premises. Office accommodation currently occupied by the City of Edinburgh Council has not yet been included in the assessment.