The MSPs report into the Glasgow School of Art fires has called for a public inquiry.

The Culture Committee calls in its new report for the Scottish Government to establish a formal probe into the 2018 fire.

The report finds that the GSA did not give sufficient priority to the safeguarding of the historic building.

It said it is also concerned about the length of time taken for a mist system to be installed at the Mack.

READ MORE: Glasgow School of Art ravaged by fire

Joan McAlpine MSP, convenor, said: “The board of GSA were custodians of this magnificent building one of the most significant to Scotland’s rich cultural heritage.

"They had a duty to protect Mackintosh’s legacy."

The report does not call for the board of the GSA to resign.

However it does suggest the GSA give serious consideration to placing the Mackintosh Building in a Trust.

The report says that the dual purpose of the Mack places a ‘significant burden’ upon the building which increases the risk of fire occurring.

READ MORE: Glasgow School of Art defends its fire measures in robust series of statements to MSPs

It also says that the Committee is ‘concerned by the lack of transparency regarding what specific (fire prevention) measures were taken’ following the 2014 fire.

In one damning conclusion the report says: “The Committee is not convinced that the GSA gave sufficient priority to the safeguarding of the Mackintosh Building. The Committee considers it would have been desirable for there to have been more specific expertise at Board level which reflected the importance of the Mack.”

McAlpine added: "We came to conclusion we are not satisfied with the custodianship of the building during that time."

In a response the chair of the baord of the GSA, Muriel Gray, took issue with some points of the report.

She said: “There are always lessons that can be learned, and we are happy to take forward the most appropriate and helpful as we bring this much-loved building back to life. Equally, there are lessons that will be of value to other institutions across the country.

“The report, however, includes a worrying number of factual inaccuracies in areas that we have already fully addressed in the parliamentary process. We have prepared our initial response to these points which is attached. The GSA will also prepare a full formal response.

“We would like to express our surprise that the report does not expressly clarify the legal distinction between the GSA and Keir Construction (Scotland) Ltd in relation to responsibility for the site.

"Evidence on this distinction was submitted to the Committee. It is important to understand that Keir had full control of the site. Further, whilst we have endeavoured to share as much information as possible Keir do not appear to have done so, and this must be as disappointing to the Committee as it has been to us.”