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Best value? Open the books on PFI

By Chris Bartter, Communications Officer

Dave Prentis UNISON Deputy General Secretary, went head to head with Scotland's Finance Minister Jack McConnell over the Private Finance Initiative (PFI) at a conference on Financing Scotland's Parliament.

The conference, held in Edinburgh on 10 January and jointly organised by UNISON and the Centre for Scottish Public Policy as part of our Serving Scotland Campaign, drew an audience much wider than the usual suspects!

An audience which included senior civil servants, bankers, financiers and other business delegates as well as a substantial UNISON presence, heard Dave attack the effects of PFI and in particular the secrecy surrounding the contracts.

"We have the absurd case of Glasgow City Council signing away £192m of public money to refurbish the city's schools, yet refusing to publish the details of the scheme. And this is despite the reports of six swimming pools and a number of gymnasia being earmarked for closure, and reduced space for classrooms and staff", said Dave.

"It is a disgrace that a government that insists on Best Value does not force the council to open these books."

Jack McConnell, in his speech defended PFI funding as a way of providing much needed services quickly, without draining public sector funding. He also made much of changes to guidelines that, he said, meant that staff would no longer be required to transfer to private sector providers.

Dave Prentis pointed out however that some public authorities in Scotland are ignoring these guidelines and insisting that staff must be transferred to private firms as part of any PFI deal.

"Despite new accountancy rules, and guidelines that clearly state that staff are not required to be transferred," Dave said, "our officers are getting reports from all over Scotland that suggest local authorities in particular, are still operating as if these changes have not happened. The Scottish Executive should ensure that public authorities are up to speed."

The big audience, and particularly the different constituency drawn to hear UNISON's views, made it a most successful event, despite its timing being so soon after the New Year. UNISON's Campaign against PFI continues and is gaining more strength as every detail of expensive deals is revealed.