Reid's mistake

The article, "fears schools to be axed" (your report, 12 May) included comment from the MP Alan Reid that "the Scottish Government had given Argyll and Bute no money to rebuild crumbling schools". This is emphatically not the case, so this should be made clear.

Argyll and Bute Council – alongside other local authorities – will receive funding from our new 1.25 billion school building programme. Last November, the council was informed it will receive 50 per cent funding towards the construction cost of a new campus to replace Dunoon, Kirn and St Munn's primary schools.

In addition, total capital grant funding for infrastructure projects from the Scottish Government to local authorities has increased for the current spending review period – up some 200 million to 2.8 billion, compared with 2005-08.

For Argyll and Bute, this amounts to a share of more than 55m. Quite rightly, it's for the council to determine how and where resources are allocated, including for schools. Between 2003-2007 the local government share of the Scottish budget fell by around 3 per cent between. Since this government took office in 2007 we have reversed this trend and restored the share of the Scottish budget that goes to local authorities.

MICHAEL RUSSELL

Cabinet secretary for education and lifelong learning