ALMOST half of the Scottish Government’s major building projects have been delayed, with prisons suffering the biggest hold-ups.

An official update showed 25 of 55 projects rescheduled or delivered late since an infrastructure plan in September.

Although half a dozen were just a few days late, others had slipped years behind schedule.

Redevelopment of the Royal Edinburgh Hospital Campus was delayed 15 months to April 2022, and a new healthcare centre in Clydebank was delayed 11 months to June 2021.

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A new £170m prison for Glasgow was pushed back a year to October 2024, a £74m prison for Inverness was delayed 18 months to march 2023, and the £75m replacement of Greenock prison was delayed two years to October 2024.

There was also delays of several months for works on the A737 and A77 in Ayrshire, and a year’s delay to a £15m revamp of health and care in Skye, Lochalsh and South West Ross.

The Herald:

Labour MSP Colin Smyth said: “It’s not just the trains the SNP can’t run on the time - major infrastructure projects have been pushed back under this Government.

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“Infrastructure investment should be what is powering our economy from the ground up, creating good quality direct jobs, further work in the supply chain and ultimately better public services.

“But under the SNP, projects are too often behind schedule and handed to companies who aren’t delivering good-quality work.

“Labour would ensure public contracts and major projects deliver best value for the taxpayer and a better deal for working people.”

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Infrastructure Secretary Michael Matheson said more than £1.4bn was invested in infrastructure projects opened across Scotland in 2018-19, including the V&A Museum in Dundee, 62 miles of newly electrified rail line from Dunblane through Stirling and Alloa, and 19 new schools.

He added: “Looking ahead, the Scottish Government’s £5 billion commitment to infrastructure investment in 2019-20 will support 50,000 affordable new homes, delivery of the extension of early learning and childcare, new roads and railways, electric vehicles and delivery of superfast broadband across Scotland.

“As part of this, our pipeline report shows Scottish Government-procured projects with a value of almost £3.1bn are estimated to be in construction across Scotland during 2019-20.”