Lib Dems Raise Concerns About Scottish Capital Projects

4.55.39pm UTC (GMT +0000) Thu 20th Mar 2008

Liberal Democrats are calling on the governments both in Holyrood and Westminster to end the current uncertainty over capital finance projects in Scotland.

Enterprise spokesperson Liam McArthur MSP has criticised the SNP for "tinkering" around with the Scottish Futures Trust idea.

President of the Scottish Liberal Democrats, Malcolm Bruce MP has written to the Chancellor, Alistair Darling to seek answers about who is ultimately responsible for approving the Scottish Government's proposed Scottish Futures Trust (SFT) which is intended to take over from Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) funding for capital investment schemes.

Commenting, Mr McArthur said:

"The SNP are tinkering around with the Scottish Futures Trust, an ideologically-driven project that has quite clearly not been properly thought through.

"Meanwhile, the public sector infrastructure plan has been paralysed and schools and hospitals are crumbling. If the SNP allows this state of affairs to continue, a whole generation of children could have passed through school before the SNP's trust lays a single foundation stone."

Mr Bruce added:

"The SNP has delayed new capital investment schemes leaving plans for new schools, hospitals, transport improvements in limbo.

"The Scottish Futures Trust is going through a consultation process. It is unclear whether this will resolve the uncertainty.

"An unproductive scrap between London and Edinburgh could leave Scotland's vital new capital investment projects paralysed. The current situation is at best delaying these vital projects and at worst putting them at risk."

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