Before the opening of the new Scottish Parliament Building, the General

Assembly Hall of the Church of Scotland accommodates the debating chamber

and committee rooms of the Scottish Parliament. It was situated on The Mound
in Edinburgh. Other offices for the administrative support of the parliament are
housed in different buildings that are being rented by the Council of the City of
Edinburgh.

When the building was completed in 2004, it combined all the various
components of the parliament in its own location. The 129 Members of the
Scottish Parliament and its over a thousand staff are all accommodated by the
Scottish Parliament Building (Scottish Office, March 1998)

Since the beginning, the building itself and the construction thereof, become very
controversial and very much criticized. All aspects of the project have been
scrutinized – location, design, architect and the contractor. Politicians questioned
every detail of the project. The media and the public gave negative comments
about the extravagance of the whole idea. The project missed its expected
completion time of 2001. Instead of 2001, the building was opened over three
years overdue in 2004. Furthermore, the total cost incurred in constructing the
building reached an estimated amount of £414 million which is almost tenfold
higher than the original budget of £10 million to £40 million.