I couldn鈥檛 agree more with Mark Cowell鈥檚 and James Nisbet鈥檚 comments (28 October) concerning the award of the Stirling Prize to the Scottish parliament building.

The architecture, not to mention the budget, is deplorable. One can only describe it as fussing and farting around.

It seems ironic that the imposing Royal High School built in the 1820s and located nearby at Calton Hill, was fitted out with a debating chamber in the late 1970s as a Scottish assembly, and currently lies redundant. Repair estimates are quoted at about 拢1m. Surely this would have made far better use of public money and, I quote, 鈥渆nsure it has a use of national significance鈥�.

On the point of cost control, if the Italians, often berated for their lack of organisation, can do it, as shown in your article 鈥淭urin Triumphs鈥� (18 November, page 60) then Ken Livingstone and the Olympic committee should take note.

Postscript

Jon Steel, York

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