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Audit Scotland to review EARL and tram costs |
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Wednesday, 06 June 2007 |
The Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth, John Swinney, has invited Audit Scotland to review the procedures used to forecast the costs of the proposed Edinburgh tram and airport rail link projects.
Audit Scotland has been asked to review the process used to assess costs and risks to delivery. The review will cover the approach, the methodology and the scope of the assessment used to identify costs. The SNP’s manifesto had pledged to scrap the two transport projects.
Swinney said: “My priority is to protect the Scottish taxpayer and ensure that any major transport project is value for money, delivering real benefit to the travelling public and the Scottish economy.
“I want to be absolutely sure about the calculation of the costs involved in these projects, and the assessment of risk involved, before they progress any further.
“This independent work by Audit Scotland will form part of the review we are undertaking on major transport projects.”
The final terms of reference for the report will be agreed today and published, with Audit Scotland to report to ministers by June 20. Ministers will set out their position to Parliament before the summer recess.
Swinney added: “The Audit Scotland report will help to give objective and factual information on these projects.
“No decisions have been taken on either project. The final trams business case is due later this year and this work will help our consideration of that business case.”
However, Liberal Democrat finance spokesman Tavish Scott said that the Executive was threatening the independence of Audit Scotland.
He said: “It is unprecedented for an Executive Minister to order Audit Scotland to carry out an enquiry purely to fix a political problem of their own making.
“The SNP are not only trying to justify their own political bungle, but in the process they threaten the independence of Audit Scotland.”
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 06 June 2007 )
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