MSPs to vote on future of Airborne

• Scottish Executive faces potential defeat after MSPs call for ministers to keep Airborne Initiative open

• Executive insists rehabilitation centre failed to perform

• Nicola Sturgeon, SNP, tables amendment calling for rethink on closure

• Liberal Democrats under pressure from manifesto commitment to vote against Executive

• Conservatives likely to support SNP amendment

• Ministers accused of negligence after 11 worst young offenders back on streets since closure

• Critics believe centre axed after embarrassing BBC documentary

• 23 Influential people write to Scotsman to express support

Key quote

"We don’t dispute that Airborne has had a positive impact on the lives of some, but there have been too few cases at a disproportionate cost" – Executive spokesman

Story in full THE Scottish Executive today faces a potential defeat in a parliamentary vote on the closure of the Airborne Initiative for young offenders.

A growing number of MSPs have called for ministers to reconsider the decision to shut the pioneering unit, which was axed earlier this month with the loss of 26 jobs.

The latest development will keep the issue at the top of the political agenda, causing acute embarrassment to the First Minister on the eve of the Labour Party conference in Inverness.

Labour’s coalition partners, the Liberal Democrats, have come under pressure to vote against the Executive in today’s vote because of a manifesto commitment made last year to keep Airborne up and running.

Nicola Sturgeon, the SNP justice spokeswoman, has tabled an amendment to the parliamentary debate on young people, which calls for a re-think over the decision to cut funding from Airborne.

She said: "This debate will highlight the problems facing Airborne, and it gives MSPs the chance to unite and support the project. There has been support expressed right across the party divide."

Eleven of Scotland’s most prolific young criminals are back on the streets after the Executive withdrew almost 600,000 of funding from the centre at Braidwood House, Lanarkshire, forcing it to close.

Ministers have been accused of negligence, given the high risk of re-offending by inmates.

Critics believe the project was shut down after ministers were embarrassed by Chancers, a fly-on-the-wall documentary which showed inmates taking drugs and absconding.

Although the Executive has insisted the centre had failed to perform, insiders believe the decision to close the centre was political and linked to the "get-tough" policies on youth crime proposed by the First Minister.

While support for the amendment from the LibDems has been mixed, they will face renewed pressure to vote against the Executive, given the fact that their 2003 manifesto gives a clear commitment to Airborne.

Under a heading "Reduce Youth Crime", the party states: "We will increase support for schemes aimed at persistent offenders that have proved more effective at reducing reoffending than traditional methods, in the way that Freagarrach and the Airborne project have.

"We will expand the role of restorative justice, which brings offenders face to face with the consequences of their actions - a system proven to reduce reoffending."

It is understood the Liberal Democrats will discuss the issue at an emergency meeting this morning.

One of those supporting Airborne is the MSP Donald Gorrie, who said yesterday he would be prepared to vote "according to his principles".

Annabel Goldie, the justice spokeswoman for the Tories, said they were likely to support the SNP’s amendment.

She said: "In the absence of straight answers that justify the government’s stance, it is reasonable that we should all pause and reflect to make sure whether or not the right decision was made.

"Such an issue should not be bound by party policy of the partnership agreement and it will be interesting to see whether the government whips are out on the Labour and Lib Dem benches."

A number of MSPs said it was mathematically possible that the Executive could be defeated on the issue.

"If three or four Lib Dems rebel, the Executive could be in trouble," said a source. "At the very least, ministers have a duty to review things and think about whether they have done the right thing."

Robin Harper, a Green MSP, tabled a parliamentary motion which has already been signed by a group of 18 MSPs.

Earlier this week, a national campaign to save Airborne was launched by some of the country’s senior figures. In an open letter to The Scotsman, the group of 23 appealed directly to the First Minister in an attempt to rescue Airborne.

Supporters of the residential unit for young offenders include Lord Prosser, the retired High Court judge; Lord Macfarlane of Bearsden, the peer and retired businessman; Richard Holloway, the former bishop of Edinburgh, and Ian Rankin, the author.

Campaigners fighting to save the project believe the Executive’s decision to shut down was ill-timed because the centre had shown a marked improvement in the number of people finishing the course.

Today’s debate - A Better Deal for Young People - will be held at 9:30am, followed by a vote at 5pm.

Last night, a spokesman for the Executive insisted there would be no going back on the decision to close Airborne.

He said: "The decision by ministers not to continue funding Airborne was a final decision made on the basis of value for money and effectiveness.

"We don’t dispute that Airborne has had a positive impact on the lives of some, but there have been too few cases at a disproportionate cost."