Negotiations on new building contracts for the Scottish Parliament at Holyrood have been put on hold for 10 days to allow MSPs to consider whether or not they want the project to go ahead.

BBC Scotland political editor Brian Taylor: MSPs want to tackle the cost issue

The decision comes amid concerns that the cost of the Holyrood project - currently estimated at £109m - is spiralling out of control.

Presiding Officer, Sir David Steel, told MSPs the cost issue was of fundamental importance and there would be a two-hour debate on the matter on 17 June.

The First Minister Donald Dewar later said the government was determined that the new building should go ahead.

First Minister Donald Dewar and Enric Miralles

The decision to halt the issue of new contracts was taken before the parliament's cross-party corporate body, which is overseeing the building project, met the project achitect Enric Miralles.

Sir David said: "Instructions have been given that no further works contracts will be signed during the next 10 days. That is the maximum time we can arrange without a penalty to ourselves."

After the meeting with Mr Miralles, he told BBC Scotland: "We wanted to ask questions, not just of the architect but of the first minister, about the apparent rise in costs, which is not actually a real rise in costs.

Sir David Steel: "Talks were helpful"

"The specifications changed from the original in the amount of space required for staffing and public circulation.

"So it's on target for the estimates now and we were quizzing them about various aspects of the design, internal and external."

Mr Miralles described the meeting as "useful". "We'll keep working and going ahead," he declared.

The latest estimate puts the bill at £109m, which is £19m more than the original. This includes VAT and fees.

Mound preferred

Some MSPs have called for the plans to be scrapped and for the parliament to remain in its temporary home on the Mound in Edinburgh.

Margo MacDonald, a Scottish National Party member, said: "I think the buck does stop with us."

SNP MSP Margo MacDonald welcomes Sir David Steel's debate plan

She praised Sir David for his handling of the matter: "Although we only have 10 days, I'm quite certain that they way he has put this in place, allowing groups of parliamentarians to question the project team, means we will be able to accomplish a great deal."

"My fear is that the costings which we have had bear no reality to what we are all hoping for."

Sir David said: "We in the corporate body are very conscious of the fact that we while we are responsible for the project we are answerable to the whole of this parliament," said Sir David.

Down-grading denied

Sources have dismissed suggestions that cost-cutting has led to changes like lino being used instead of carpets, and plaster-effect spray instead of granite.

"Clearly, decisions will be taken further down the line on some of the detailed things - carpets, and what sort of wood is used and so on - but no decision has been made yet," an insider said.

When the building was first conceived the construction cost for the building itself was estimated at £50m, rising to £90m when other costs, like acquiring the site, VAT, and fees were included.