SNP ATTACK GREEDY PFI COMPANY AT EDINBURGH ROYAL INFIRMARY OVER PARKING CONTRACT.

SNP ATTACK GREEDY PFI COMPANY AT EDINBURGH ROYAL INFIRMARY OVER PARKING CONTRACT.

PFI EXTORTION OVER EDINBURGH HOSPITAL PARKING.

SNP MSPs have accused the PFI firm behind Edinburgh’s Royal Infirmary of making extortionate claims after they demanded £14.5 million to buy out the car parking contract at the hospital.

The SNP Government has instructed health boards to re-introduce free parking at all hospitals. The PFI contracts put in place by Labour and the Lib Dems mean car parking charges are still in place at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, Glasgow Royal Infirmary and Ninewells in Dundee.

Responding to the demand SNP Lothians MSP Dr Ian Mckee said;

"This shows the enormous folly of building public services through private finance.

"This claim is extortionate. Edinburgh's PFI deal has allowed a private company to hold the health board and its employees to ransom.

"To take £14 million from frontline services to line the pockets of a private company is simply wrong.”

Livingston MSP Angela Constance said;

"Parking charges at hospitals are a disgraceful legacy of Labour's years in office and it is only thanks to the SNP that free parking is back in place at all other hospitals.

"It is deeply unfortunate that we are left with NHS staff and visitors paying private sector fees - but that is the problem with PFI.

“Actions like this show why PFI is wrong and the SNP is right to replace it.

"The millions it would take to buy out this contract would hit the health service hard.”