Holyrood security plan to cost £6.5m

HOLYROOD bosses have agreed to go-ahead with controversial plans to spend £6.5 million of taxpayers’ cash on a security hall outside the parliament.

The decision to build the screening centre for visitors comes after Holyrood’s security advisers said the existing public entrance is “too close to parliament’s debating chamber and areas heavily populated by the public and school groups”.

In a letter to MSPs, presiding officer Tricia Marwick said security advisers had warned that “In light of current threats, it is advisable to construct an external security facility.”