THE First Minister is to move back into her official residence after £500,000 worth of repairs.

Bute House, in Edinburgh’s Charlotte Square, was closed last year after a routine inspection found urgent ceiling works were needed.

Nicola Sturgeon moved into temporary accommodation and meetings of the Cabinet have been taking place at St Andrew’s House.

Conservation work at the 18th-century A-listed Bute House, coordinated by Historic Environment Scotland, began in October.

Maintenance and modernisation, including the installation of heating, also took place while the building was closed. The total cost of the work was £504,216, while alternative accommodation costs for Sturgeon amounted to £19,220.

Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop said: “These necessary repairs and refurbishments mean Bute House can continue to be available for official Scottish Government business, as well as being preserved as an important historical and cultural asset for the nation.

“My thanks go to Historic Environment Scotland and the craftsmen and women who were part of a complex restoration project.”