Science centre '40% funding cut'

Glasgow Science Centre is being hit by a 40% funding cut including reductions in future years, it has been claimed.

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Nicol Stephen said this was despite the centre being described by ministers as having a "bright future".

He said government funding had been cut from £1.7m last year to £1.4m this year with more cuts in the next two years.

First Minister Alex Salmond told MSPs at Holyrood the funding issue was being taken forward seriously.

Speaking during question time, Mr Stephen said: "This centre has got international standing, hundreds of thousands of visitors every year, a mission to inspire children about science, it has targets to attract young people from the most disadvantaged communities in Scotland.

"Why then, did his government decide to cut their money this year, next year and the year after?"

Visitor numbers

Mr Salmond said talks had been held between Education Secretary Fiona Hyslop and Glasgow Science Centre chief executive Kirk Ramsay about the extension of funding and putting it and Scotland's other science centres, in Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee, on a "secure and sustainable basis".

"I would never promise Nicol Stephen a bright future and I don't think anybody else in politics would do so either," he added.

The Scottish Government later pointed out that funding for all four centres was based on visitor numbers - but Glasgow attracted the lion's share, and that Mr Stephen was a minister in 2004 when it had to cut 18 staff.