Scottish Government spent £855,000 on First Minister's Bute House repairs

The Scottish Government spent more than £850,000 last year on repairs to Bute House, the First Minister of Scotland’s official residence in Edinburgh.

The grade-A listed Georgian townhouse in the capital’s Charlotte Square was closed in April last year for work to be carried out both inside and outside and reopened for business five months later.

The Scottish Government, which is responsible for all repairs and maintenance of the building, revealed on Friday it paid a total of £856,307.59 for last year’s repairs.

The sum was used to cover the cost of carrying out stonework and roof repairs, renovating and replacing windows and completing essential internal fire safety work, the government said.

The amount also included the cost of providing alternative accommodation for First Minister Humza Yousaf and his family while he was in the capital during the repairs.

According to a breakdown of the costs, a three-bedroom flat in central Edinburgh was rented for Yousaf for five months adding to a total of £29,546.67.

Bute House was designated as the official residence for Scotland’s First Minister following devolution in 1999.

The building, which was previously used as the official residence for the Secretary of State for Scotland, is also used for Cabinet meetings, official engagements, receptions and meetings.

It is owned by the National Trust for Scotland and leased by the Scottish Government.