Government headquarters half empty most of the time
The Scottish Government’s two main buildings in Edinburgh are both more than half empty most of the time, according to newlyreleased figures.
The government’s headquarters at St Andrew’s House in Regent Road, where top ministers are based, and Victoria Quay in Leith, built to house hundreds of civil servants, have typical occupancy rates of around one-third.
Figures released under Freedom of Information show the capacity at Victoria Quay was never more than 30.5 per cent used across December 2023 and January this year.
And St Andrew’s House was never more than 38 per cent full over the same period, with the expansive building just a quarter filled on work days across every week in January
Ministers have been accused of “carelessness with public money” in view of the heating and energy costs for the buildings at a time when many staff continue to work from home on a hybrid basis in the wake of the pandemic.
At the Scottish Government’s offices at 4 Atlantic Quay in Glasgow, only one in seven desks was in use at most on any week in December and January, although the building has since been closed following an estates review.
Saughton House in Edinburgh was also only up to a third full at any stage in the same period. However, Bute House was sometimes overoccupied.
Occupancy levels at St Andrew’s House were 83 per cent in March 2020 before the pandemic hit. More than 2000 civil servants are based at St Andrew’s House, together with ministerial offices and a media centre, according to 2022 figures. A contract worth £734,921 was awarded to project management company Faithful Gould in 2022 to refurbish the Scottish Government’s headquarters.
Two former ministers, Ivan McKee and Ben Macpherson, last year suggested making a proportion of the administration's premises at Victoria Quay open to tech and creative businesses to save public money and boost economic activity in the area.
Scottish Conservative shadow secretary for business, economic growth and tourism Murdo Fraser said: “The SNP should be looking at every option for reducing government costs, given the financial shambles they have created.”