The Culture Minister has expressed the Scottish government's commitment to a national centre for architecture based within The Lighthouse building in Glasgow.

Michael Russell said that arrangements were in place for the employment of staff working on the three Scottish government-funded national architecture programmes to transfer their employment from The Lighthouse Trust to Architecture and Design Scotland (A+DS).

These staff will continue to work on those national programmes and will remain based at The Lighthouse.

On October 28, 2009, the administrators of The Lighthouse Trust announced that the organisation would shortly cease to trade, and that The Lighthouse's owner - Glasgow City Council - would run the building under its direct control.

Speaking in a video message shown to the audience at Tuesday evening's Saltire Society's Housing Awards - being held at The Lighthouse - Michael Russell said: "I am glad that through discussion with the administrators and the owners of the building - Glasgow City Council - we have identified a way to ensure a national centre for architecture continues within The Lighthouse.

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"Arrangements are now being made for staff working on our programmes (ACCESS to Architecture, Senses of Place and Sust.) to transfer to Architecture and Design Scotland - programmes we remain committed to.

"With this continuity, our programmes can continue to deliver exhibitions, events and activities to the high standard achieved for so many years by The Lighthouse Trust."

The Scottish government's national architecture programme, ACCESS to Architecture is receiving funding of £450,000 this year. The Senses of Place educational programme is receiving £100,000. Sust. promotes sustainable design in architecture and the built environment, and receives £450,000 from the Scottish government this year.

Architecture and Design Scotland (A+DS) is Scotland's national champion for good architecture, design and planning in the built environment. It's main aim is to inspire better quality in design and architecture in the public and private sectors so that Scotland's built environment contributes in a positive way to quality of life and built heritage.

The Saltire Housing awards are the oldest and most prestigious housing design awards in Scotland. Presented annually by the Saltire Society as part of a raft of awards in other disciplines, they aim to celebrate and encourage innovative and imaginative housing design, construction and master-planning in Scotland .

(GK/KMcA)