Robert Brown slams SNP complacency following Science Centre cuts

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Thu 3rd Jul 2008

Glasgow Liberal Democrat MSP Robert Brown has slammed the SNP Government for its "shocking complacency" following the news that the Glasgow Science Centre is to axe one fifth of its workforce.

The announcement comes after weeks of condemnation by Mr. Brown after last month it was revealed that the award winning centre was to face a 40% reduction in funding over three years, at the hands of the SNP Government.

Mr. Brown has led the campaign against the Science Centre funding cuts and recently lodged a Parliamentary motion condemning them. In addition, in a letter to the Education Secretary he has demanded that they be immediately reversed.

Robert Brown said:

"I cannot understand what Fiona Hyslop is playing at. It should hardly be a surprise to the Scottish Government, after the SNP cut the Science Centre's budget by 40%, that a fifth of the staff would have to go.

"Let's be clear that the blame for these job losses lies firmly on the shoulders of the SNP, and it is time that Fiona Hyslop sorted out the mess her funding cuts have created.

"The SNP Government have been forced to put a further £250,000 on the table - which is welcome and might have provided a basis for discussion. However, no one knows what exactly the money is for or how much of it is going to the Glasgow Science centre.

"It appears as though it has to be bid for, is only for one year, not three and will require the Science Centre to do new things - when the problem is about core funding to support what they do at the moment.

"This is terrible news for the staff and the centre - which has been going from strength to strength in terms of its success and visitor numbers in recent years.

"What's just as worrying is that the Science Centre boss is now warning that if funding keeps being slashed, then things will regress back to the way they were years ago when the Centre had no money and couldn't afford to do much at all in terms of activity.

"At a time when Scotland's children are failing to grasp Science in schools, this comes as a terrible blow. It makes a total nonsense of the SNP promises about supporting science and opportunities for children to be inspired by science.

"Sadly, Scotland's children will now be the ones who suffer."

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