SCHOOL FUNDING ARRANGEMENTS PLUNGED INTO CHAOS - LIB DEMS

11.31.22am GMT Mon 2nd Jun 2008

Liberal Democrat Shadow Education Secretary Jeremy Purvis MSP has accused the Finance Secretary of plunging arrangements for school building funding into chaos.

Mr Purvis questioned the Finance Secretary after a Government statement on the Scottish Futures Trust.

Commenting, Mr Purvis said:

"Today's statement was meant to clear up the confusion surrounding the Government's new plans for funding schools, but instead the Finance Secretary has plunged the arrangements for funding school buildings into chaos.

"The Scottish Government's Infrastructure Investment plan states clearly that PPP Revenue Support Grants and the Schools Fund Capital Grant were being rolled up into the funding settlement for local authorities.

"Last week, the Schools and Skills Minister told me that the Scottish Government was providing £5 million per year for the 30 year duration of the PPP contract to build new schools in Falkirk.

"When I pressed the Finance Secretary on this issue, he promised that the Government would consider funding other school building projects in the same way on a case by case basis. This directly contradicts his own Infrastructure Investment Plan.

"The Finance Secretary must clarify his position urgently."