Ministers ‘utterly incompetent’ and delays are now ‘the norm’
THE SNP has been branded ‘utterly incompetent’ over its handling of major projects.
Problems such as the delayed opening of Edinburgh’s Royal Hospital for Children and Young People and the late delivery of ferries have ‘become the norm’, said Labour infrastructure spokesman Colin Smyth.
His criticism came after the Scottish Government published an update on projects with a capital value of £20million or more in which it has had a lead role in procurement or funding.
Scottish Labour’s analysis of the report suggests 12 of 5 projects
have been delayed since the last update was published in March.
Mr Smyth said: ‘The SNP’s handling of major infrastructure projects – from new ferries to the sick kids’ hospital – has been utterly incompetent and delays have simply become the norm.
‘Infrastructure investment is key to a strong economy but SNP mismanagement means too many projects are behind schedule and have been handed to companies who aren’t delivering good quality work.’
Infrastructure Secretary
Michael Matheson said: ‘In spite of increasingly challenging economic conditions, the Scottish Government is forging on with delivering infrastructure projects that are making a real difference to people’s lives.
‘Modern, state-of-the-art facilities are benefiting communities across Scotland.
‘By the end of the next parliamentary term, our National Infrastructure Mission commitment will increase annual infrastructure investment by 1 per cent of current (2017) GDP, helping protect and create jobs.’
THE opening of Edinburgh’s new £150million children’s hospital could be hit by more delays to install smoke dampers, a union boss has warned.
Unison branch secretary Tom Waterson said it would take a day-and-a-half to fit each of the 760 protective mechanisms that would be needed.
The Royal Hospital for Children and Young People at Little France was due to open in July, but this was pushed back at the last minute after the ventilation in critical care wards failed national standards.
The 200-bed hospital has now been scheduled to open next autumn.
But a new report found that smoke dampers had not been fitted to the ventilation system in wards where children would stay overnight and that, if a fire happened, smoke would pass through the ventilation systems into other rooms.
Warning of the risk of further delays, Mr Waterson said: ‘We met the Government on Monday and they have given us an assurance the smoke dampers will be put in.
‘They are still looking at whether to do it before everyone’s in, or could they put the dampers in while there are patients in the hospital.
‘But they can’t ignore this. The report is quite clear that they should be in.
‘There are 760 required to be fitted should the report be carried out to its fullest and we’ve made clear we expect the report to be carried out to the fullest.
‘It’s a huge job. It takes a dayand-a-half per damper.
‘That’s why they’re looking at whether they can do it while there are patients in – because, if not, it would cause a major delay.’
Smoke dampers have been likened to fire doors within the ventilation system to stop smoke spreading.
NHS Lothian admitted it was in the process of carrying out a risk assessment but said ‘it was not possible to speculate on timescales’.
A report into faults at the delayed hospital published by National Services Scotland last week said: ‘Smoke dampers are not fitted to corridors serving sleeping accommodation.
‘The risk consequence of this in the event of a fire could be that smoke would travel through ventilation into adjoining rooms and the corridor, which is the escape route before the smoke dampers would be actuated.’
NHS Lothian facilities director George Curley said: ‘The fitting of smoke dampers is a recommendation with the aim of further enhancing existing fire safety measures.
‘It is not a requirement and it must be carefully risk-assessed to ensure other important environmental considerations, such as the hospital’s air pressure regime, would not be compromised if smoke dampers were to be fitted.
‘That risk assessment process is under way but until it is complete it is not possible to speculate on timescales.’
A Scottish Government spokesman said the report had not identified smoke dampers as a compliance issue but set out their potential fitting as an opportunity for improvement.
The spokesman added: ‘Following the findings of the report, additional smoke dampers will be fitted in the hallways.
‘We continue to work to the previously announced timeline.’
In addition to the £150million for the children’s hospital building, equipment and preparing the site add around another £91million to the bill.