Gibson calls on borrowing powers for Scottish Parliament

News release
Immediate release

05/02/09

Highlands and Islands SNP MSP Rob Gibson has lamented the lack of maintenance to schools throughout the Highlands and Islands during the decade of LibDem/ Labour rule.

Speaking ahead of a debate in Highland on the state of schools in Scotland in Parliament he said….

"The desperate decent of the fabric of Wick High School (and other Far North schools) in the decade of Liberal Democrat and Labour rule in Scotland has been regrettable. Their MSPs were totally silent during that period on the growing crisis.

The building has been deteriorating since Peter Peacock was leader of Highlands Council. Not enough was done in the intervening years to deal with the problem and now we have the situation we are in."

"Earlier today in the LibDem debate on borrowing powers for the Scottish Parliament I argued that substantial borrowing powers are needed at all levels of government. Waiting for handouts from the centre is bad for the system and bad for local projects that get neglected. We need a culture change to encourage local bond issues and prudential borrowing to fill the gaps in funds drawn from general taxation."

ENDS