Following the debate in the Scottish Parliament on Wednesday 30 October we were approached by the Sunday Post with questions about fundraising, the fire alarm on 15 June 2018 and the insurance policy for the Mackintosh Building. As usual, we provided full, factual information.
Once again they failed to report the facts around the operational control of the Mackintosh Building on 15 June 2018. As made clear in the debate by both Adam Tomkins MSP and Richard Lochhead MSP, Kier Construction (Scotland) Ltd were in day to day control of the site and questions regarding operational matters such as whether the fire alarm was working on the night of 15 June 2018 should be directed to them, not The Glasgow School of Art.
Adam Tomkins MSP said: “When asked about the matter by MSPs on the Culture, Tourism, Europe and External Affairs Committee, Kier Construction could not confirm that the fire alarm system had not been switched off in June.”
Richard Lochhead MSP said: “we must bear in mind that the contractor had day-to-day control of the site”
Whilst The Glasgow School of Art has been clear that speculation around the events of 15 June 2018 before the publication of the SFRS report is unhelpful, where reference to these are being made we expect the facts to be reported.
FACTUAL INFORMATION PROVIDED TO THE SUNDAY POST
Fundraising
- The Glasgow School of Art’s Director of Development has received an email from the Scottish Fundraising Standards Panel and he is taking this forward with them. It should be noted that the neither the GSA or the GSA Development Trust has received a complaint from donors regarding the fundraising undertaken in response to the Mackintosh Building fire.
- Because GSA’s immediate needs changed after the 2018 fire a small number of charitable trusts asked the GSA Development Trust to return their donation so they could use it to fund other projects until the GSA is in a position to submit a new proposal based on future needs.
Question raised by Pauline McNeill MSP
- We have always been clear that it is unhelpful for anyone to speculate prior to the conclusion of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Report.
- We have also been clear that at the time of the 2018 fire the Mackintosh Building was under full operational control of Kier Construction (Scotland) Ltd. This point was made clearly by the Minister, Richard Lochhead, in his closing remarks.
- Any questions relating to day-to-day operation of the site, including the fire alarm, can only be answered by Kier as Adam Tomkins MSP also quite correctly pointed out in the debate
Question raised by Annabelle Ewing MSP
- As this is an active claim, and is still under investigation by SFRS, it is standard protocol that no documents can be publicly released. Insurers expect all insured parties to abide by this protocol.