CONSTRUCTION bosses have urged the Scottish Government to do more to kickstart the industry despite the announcement of a new tranche of school buildings.
The call came after ministers announced the next phase of its Schools for the Future programme. Under the plans, an extra 12 schools will be built after £80 million was brought forward in last week's draft Scottish Budget.
Overall, the programme will result in £1.25 billion being spent on the construction of 67 new schools for more than 46,000 pupils, in every part of Scotland, by March 2018.
Many of the new buildings will replace existing rundown schools and in some cases two will be merged into one new institution.
However, while welcoming the acceleration of funds, the Scottish Building Federation said the money will only start to be spent in 2014.
Michael Levack, the organisation's chief executive, said: "Of course we welcome the commitment to bring forward £80m of funding.
"But it is worth noting that this funding has been accelerated into the 2014/15 budget so will have no impact on spending over the next financial year.
"Given how badly construction firms are suffering, we need to do more to get more shovels into the ground right now, not in 18 months' time."
Education Secretary Michael Russell insisted it was good news for Scotland's construction sector.
He said: "We can get the projects moving and offer some certainty to one of Scotland's key industries, providing a welcome boost to our economic recovery."
Mr Russell said providing the best possible school accommodation was vital to the successful delivery of the new Curriculum for Excellence.
He said: "We have met every local authority's request for priority builds and added an extra 12 schools to the programme because of the Scottish Futures Trust's vigorous commitment to value for money.
"More schools are being built, and faster, but for the same level of investment as originally planned."
An education spokesman for local authority umbrella body Cosla said: "Across the Schools for the Future programme, local government is investing £450m in the future of Scottish education.
"This firmly demonstrates the commitment of local authorities to delivering first-class schools for Scotland's young people."
However, Liam McArthur, education spokesman for the Scottish LibDems, questioned the quality of the school buildings.
He said: "Time and again we have heard that part of the Scottish Futures Trust work has been to shrink the size of classrooms. That is how they have found part of the savings they have trumpeted.
"We need to make sure pupils aren't going to find themselves crammed into smaller classes."
Richard Baker, Scottish Labour's spokesman on infrastructure, added: "This has revealed what we already knew.
"The SNP has over-promised on infrastructure spending and now, as a result, is under-delivering.
"In the past year, 12,000 construction jobs have been lost and, unless the Scottish Government acts now, we risk this being repeated again this year."
Building programme
Aberdeen City Council: new secondary to replace Torry and Kincorth Academies
Aberdeenshire: Alford Community Campus
Angus: Forfar Academy
Argyll & Bute: Oban High
Edinburgh: St John's Primary
Clackmannanshire: Craigbank Primary
Western Isles: New primary in North Uist
Dumfries & Galloway: Crichton 15+ secondary
Dundee: Baldragon Academy
East Ayrshire: New secondary to replace Kilmarnock and James Hamilton Academies
East Dunbartonshire - New primary
East Renfrewshire - Barrhead High
Falkirk: Carrongrange ASN
Fife: New secondary to replace Buckhaven and Kirkland Highs
Glasgow: Garscadden Primary
Highland: Inverness RoyaAcademy
Inverclyde: St Patrick's Primary
Midlothian: Newbattle High
Moray: Elgin High
North Ayrshire: New secondary to replace Ardrossan and
Auchenharvie Academies
North Lanarkshire - Greenfaulds High
Perth & Kinross: New secondary
Renfrewshire: New ASN school
Scottish Borders: Kelso High
Shetland: Anderson High
South Ayrshire: Marr College
South Lanarkshire: New primary to replace Halfmerke Primary and West Mains ASN
Stirling: St Ninian's Primary
West Dunbartonshire: Our Lady and St Patrick's High
West Lothian: West Calder High
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