Plenary, 22 Apr 2004
Meeting date: Thursday, April 22, 2004
Official Report
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Presiding Officer's Statement
I want to detain members for just a couple of minutes. At long last, I can today inform Parliament of the arrangements for our migration to Holyrood, our occupation of the building and its formal opening. Members can start packing at the end of June. They should be out of their present offices by 20 August. Members will have entry to their new offices during the week commencing 30 August. We shall meet in the new chamber in the second week of September.
The official opening of the new building by Her Majesty the Queen will be on Saturday 9 October. Detailed arrangements for the opening will be announced nearer the event but, after discussion with party leaders, I can give the broad outline today.
It will be a day for the whole community of Scotland—a day of quiet Scottish dignity. The day will have three elements: a morning meeting in Old Parliament Hall, a riding down the Royal Mile and the formal opening in the chamber. The riding marks the centuries-old Scots tradition of Parliament and people working in public partnership.
Only 10 per cent of those who will take part in the events on the day will be MSPs. Each member will be asked to nominate a person from their constituency who has done most for the public good. They will walk, too, as will schoolchildren and civic representatives from throughout Scotland. There will be a large contingent of Speakers and Presidents from Parliaments in the United Kingdom, Europe and the Commonwealth.
The cost to Parliament for the whole day will be £210,000.
Lastly, let me say this. In my evidence to the Fraser inquiry, I apologised for the shadow that Holyrood, with all its attendant costs and delays, has cast over Scotland. Today, I thank those who have stayed resolutely focused and kept up the intense pressure to occupy the building in September.
Before we get on, we have to get in. The opening on 9 October marks a new beginning. It will be an opportunity for us all to concentrate on why we are here: not to build a building, but to build a better Scotland.
I have today written to every member, enclosing a briefing pack. If members have additional questions once they have studied it, the pack explains how to obtain further information.
On a point of order, Presiding Officer.
I will take this point of order if it is a genuine point of order and not a point of information.
Will we be provided with a breakdown of the £210,000 that you mentioned?
I will make that available this afternoon.
Meeting suspended.
On resuming—