Sturgeon calls for inquiry into Edinburgh school closures

FIRST Minister Nicola Sturgeon has intervened in the row over Edinburgh's school clousres, calling on Labour to apologise for 'signing up to extortionate PFI contracts' that had delivered 'substandard buildings'.

Nicola Sturgeon.

The SNP leader said there was a case for a “longer term inquiry” into the construction of the 17 schools once the immediate problems were resolved.

She said: “These were schools built 10 or more years ago under a system of PFI that at the time people, including the SNP had real concerns about - concerns being that these contacts prioritised private profit over quality and the interests of pupils.

“If it turns out that this a legacy of those PFI projects, then there will be big questions for those who were in charge at the time to answer.”

Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale said her party had needed to rebuild schools because the Conservatives had left them in “rack and ruin” for decades.