Christine GRAHAME, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, has written to Scottish Secretary Michael Moore urging him to support a request that would allow work by Historic Scotland to restore Abbotsford House to go ahead sooner rather than later.
She is echoing the Scottish Government which has asked the UK Government to allow capital funding from future years to be brought forward to allow construction to start straight away.
The Abbotsford project was one of many submitted to the UK Government on March 2, but with cuts of 32 per cent in Scotland’s capital budget from Westminster, funding is not yet available.
Ms Grahame said: “This project is worth £0.7M and is ready for construction to get underway. Visitors have been welcomed to Abbotsford for generations and the long-term repairs programme that the Abbotsford Trust has undertaken will ensure that generations more can enjoy and understand how important it is as part of our nation’s heritage.”
Ms Grahame has asked Michael Moore to join her in supporting the First Minister in the request.
She added: “Sir Walter Scott and his works are a vitally important part of Scotland’s cultural heritage.
“I am asking Mr Moore to support the Scottish Government in its request to bring forward capital funding from future years in order that the work can get started, as it will also provide much needed local employment now and on completion.”