The Scottish Government’s near £440 million underspend has highlighted a complete failure of the SNP to invest in our young people, Scottish Labour have said.

Reports today show that the Scottish Government have an underspend of £440 million for this year’s budget, including £165 million in education.

Teacher numbers have been slashed under the SNP, who have completely failed to keep their manifesto commitments to reduce class sizes.

Meanwhile Further Education has been decimated, with 140,000 fewer Scots going to college.

Scottish Labour Education Spokesperson Iain Gray said:

“The best investment we can make in Scotland is in our young people, everyone benefits from a better educated, better skilled Scotland.

“The best decision this Government could make would be to invest in our young people, yet just this week the EIS said they had abandoned key promises to protect teacher numbers and reduce class sizes.

 “The Scottish Government need to explain the astonishing fact that they are sitting on £440 million whilst teacher numbers are at a ten year low and thousands of young Scots can no longer get a college place.”

Scottish Labour Finance Spokesperson Jackie Baillie said:

“All across Scotland local authorities are facing huge cuts to their budgets. It is our local authorities who deliver the public services that we all rely upon, including the schools our children attend.

“Having a £400 million pound underspend whilst forcing these cuts onto our local authorities simply isn’t accepta