The Scottish Parliament may be a target for protesters

Police believe the new Holyrood building and the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh could be targets for anti-capitalist protestors.

The world's leading powers will attend the summit at Gleneagles Hotel in Perthshire in the first week of July.

An anti-poverty march is already scheduled for Edinburgh on 2 July.

Bruce Whitehead, spokesman for the Make Poverty History campaign, said: "It's not a march in the sense of a demonstration, but more of a walk.

Aid plea

"It is going to be very much a family affair. The emphasis is on fun in the sun.

"The intention is to welcome the G8 leaders to Scotland and to ask them to deliver trade justice, debt cancellation and increased aid to developing countries."

World leaders will gather at Gleneagles Hotel for the summit

The parliament and the royal residence at Holyrood are regarded as possible "high risk" targets and as head of state, the Queen is likely to attend the summit.

Security plans for the capital are still being developed, but police propose turning the Palace of Holyroodhouse and the parliament into a secure campus, with controlled access.

The parliament hopes to remain open for business at all "reasonable cost".

MSPs and Presiding Officer George Reid were given a police briefing earlier this week.

A Holyrood spokeswoman said: "The Scottish Parliament receives and acts upon security advice from Lothian and Borders police.