Facilities Scotland needs can be delivered if public and private enterprise join forces

Why do so many public sector projects, like the Edinburgh Royal Hospital for Children and Young People (ERHCYP), run into difficulties over costings and attention to safety standards?

I can accept richard leon a rd’ s criticism of how the Non-profit Distributing private finance model through the Scottish Futures Trust worked in this instance (Perspective, 13 August). He spoiled his argument, though, by too simplistic a plea for “public ownership” as the solution to the problem. Few projects of this kind are ever completed without private sector involvement – mainly in terms of the award of contracts for construction and design.

It is effective management – which amounts to close liaison and monitoring by the public provider and the private deliverer – which is crucial. The ERHCYP endeavour appears to have failed on that account and should prompt a review of how the model used to build it has actually worked.

The whole affair needs to be contrasted with the relatively successful completion of the Queensferry Crossing (within budget, opening delayed largely through weather conditions and unrealistic political promises, and only one fatality over the time it took to construct).

The SNP government did consider using a Scottish Futures Trust model for the bridge but opted for a traditional public financing model.

But that should not delude Mr Leonard and others that it represents the case for public ownership. The bridge was delivered through effective management and the use of private sector consortiums for the major construction project and private companies to take care of design, transport systems and the upgrade of the M9 junction.

It is that combination of public and private enterprise that will deliver the facilities the public needs, whatever arguments continue about what is the right model to use.

BOB TAYLOR Shiel Court, Glenrothes It’s farcical for Richard Leonard, whose party opposes giving Scotland increased financial powers, to attack the SNP’S Non-profit Distributing (NPD) model of finance, that has reduced the cost of infrastructure projects by half when compared to Labour’s version of PFI, which lumbered Lothian Health Board with a bill of £1.5 billion for the Royal Infirmary building, costing some £226 million in 2003.

Also, the Labour Welsh Government is committed to the NPD model for building hospitals, roads and schools and praised it for delivering value for money.

Any Scottish government has very limited borrowing powers and cannot run up debts of £1.8 trillion like the UK Treasury, or give £14 million to a company that does not own any ships, or has previously operated a ferry service, to charter ferries in the event of a no-deal Brexit.

FRASER GRANT Warrender Park Road, Edinburgh