First a National Bank... now a national builder?

PLANS for a nationalised construction company to build schools and hospitals are among a raft of radical Left-wing policies to be debated at the SNP conference this week.

Delegates are also set to debate much-vaunted plans for a Scottish National Investment Bank.

The construction proposal – described as a ‘public-public partnership’ – would see the financing and building of infrastructure projects controlled by the state.

Supporters argue it would ‘reduce risk’, in the wake of the collapse of construction group Carillion, and bring more public accountability.

However, critics have warned a public sector monopoly would be a ‘recipe for disaster’.

A widely backed motion calling for the creation of a Scottish National Infrastructure Company will be brought before delegates at

‘Monopoly a recipe for disaster’

the SNP party conference in Aberdeen on Friday.

If passed, the construction firm proposal – which would remove the need for private financing initiatives (PFI) – would become SNP party policy.

The motion has the backing of almost a dozen local SNP branches as well as a number of MSPs, MPs and the Federation of Student Nationalists.

However, the Scottish Building Federation criticised the plans.

Managing director Vaughan Hart said: ‘At the time of the collapse of Carillion, we argued that the Scottish Government should learn suitable lessons for the future of public procurement – and that the key lesson was to give small and medium-sized contractors better access to the procurement market.

‘Moves to take on responsibility for constructing as well as financing projects could be regarded as throwing the baby out with the bath water. Driving up quality and standards requires further and fairer competition that places contractors of all sizes on a level playing field. Conversely, any moves to create a new public sector monopoly to deliver these major contracts would be regarded by the majority as a recipe for disaster.’

Jamie Greene, Scottish Conservative transport and infrastructure spokesman, said: ‘It’s time the SNP made it easier for small and medium-sized businesses to bid for public contracts and tenders and focused its efforts on that rather than wasting time on more nationalised bodies that do very little.’

Other ideas up for debate at the conference include the introduction of ‘court mentors’ to provide support to offenders.

An SNP spokesman said: ‘The conference will give delegates the opportunity to discuss, debate and vote on a wide range of issues.’