Lib Dems expose mind-boggling delays to school building programme

1.01.24am BST (GMT +0100) Thu 18th Jun 2009

Commenting after the Education Secretary was forced to admit following questioning by Liberal Democrat MSPs that the SNP will delay the school buildings programme for almost a decade, Liberal Democrat Education spokesperson Margaret Smith MSP said:

“We have dragged the Education Secretary’s cat out of the bag. The SNP is forcing most councils to delay building new schools for up to a decade.

“The money starts to dribble down to councils next year and the final payments won’t arrive until 2018.

“The SNP is rushing to get some token bricks built by polling day. There would have been less of a rush if there had not been the two year Hyslop-gap and paralysis in planning.

“Most of the pupils studying in crumbling buildings will have left school and could have children of their own before these new schools are built. Thanks to the SNP’s mind-boggling delay, an entire generation of schoolchildren have been let down.”