SNP government too late to build schools

THE Scottish Government has passed the point where it can commission a new school and have it built before the next Holyrood election, it has emerged.

The revelation is a final blow to SNP claims that it would match the school building programme promised by the previous Labour/Liberal Democrat Scottish Executive "brick-for-brick".

Information from the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Spice) has shown that the minimum time for a school to be built after being commissioned is three years, achieved by East Lothian Council. The average time is about three-and-a-half years.

The SNP is yet to commission a new school after almost two years in office as it still tries to put together its Scottish Futures Trust.

It has promised that the SFT will commission new schools some time this year, but there is still no sign of any announcement even though 832 Scottish schools need replacing or refurbishing.