PRIVATE FINANCE INITIATIVE SCHOOLS PROJECT IN NORFOLK

Early day motion 181, tabled 25 November 2004 by Norman Lamb (Liberal Democrat). Signed by 15 members.

That this House notes with concern that after several years of planning the proposed private finance initiative (PFI) deal to upgrade and replace school buildings in 37 Norfolk schools has collapsed; further notes that plans to reorganise the education system enabling children in 75 schools to start high school at 11 years will be delayed by at least two years as a result; expresses serious concerns about the amount of public money wasted as a result of this collapse; welcomes the independent review into what went wrong; and calls on the Government to reassess the current reliance on PFI as a means of financing public sector infrastructure projects, taking particular note of new research commissioned by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants which finds that PFI can be an expensive way of financing and delivering public services.

Signatures by party: Liberal Democrat 9, Labour 4, Plaid Cymru 2.