Scottish Parliament Chamber: Capital Investment Projects (Funding)

Linda spoke in the debate on Wednesday 1 April.
“PFI has never been worthy of defence. It is no more than a cynical exercise that has allowed Governments of the day to keep capital projects off balance sheet. We have known for some years now that the international financial reporting standards would apply. We also knew the effect that the IFRS would have on accounting for such projects. Despite that, the Labour Party carried on regardless: it continued to build; it continued to defend the indefensible.

PFI is a child of the age of irresponsibility—terrible irresponsibility. It gave Labour a perfect way of taking credit for building without having to pay for it. And that from a generation of Labour politicians who received free education and the benefit of schools and hospitals that were built within the public sector. How selfish Labour is to disregard in such a cavalier fashion the needs of those who come after.”

Read the full text of Linda’s speech at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-09/sor0401-02.htm#Col16383.