Laidlaw Youth Project
The Laidlaw Youth Project is a charity venture set up by Irvine Laidlaw. Irvine Laidlaw is a 'Monaco-based business services tycoon who almost single-handedly bankrolls the Scottish Conservative Party'.[1] laidlaw was created a peer on the Conservative list in 2004.[2]
The Project is based in the same building as the Scottish Conservative Party [3] in an ofice block on Edinburgh's expensive Princes Street. The offices are owned by Abbey Business Centres a compnay in which Laidlaw is the controlling shareholder.
Involvement in education
Laidlaw has been involved in discussions with the Scottish Executive about funding education in Scotland. According to the First Minister's Official Spokesperson in a briefing on 1 December 2005:
- Asked if Irvine Laidlaw, or anyone else, has donated money to the Executive for Scottish schools the FMOS later clarified that the Executive is engaged in ongoing dialogue with Irvine Laidlaw about how he might be prepared to support education in Scotland. These discussions have been ongoing for some time and are continuing.
- To date Mr Laidlaw has not contributed financially to Schools of Ambition although he has given £ 40,000 to Keith Academy. He also supports, through the Laidlaw Youth Project, various children's projects in Scotland and has funded places for Scottish headteachers to attend a two-day leadership conference in London.[4]
People
- Maureen McGinn Chief Executive
Address
Laidlaw Youth Project Abbey House 83 Princes Street Edinburgh EH2 2ER
telephone 0131 247 6801
Notes
- ^ Andrew Denholm 'What else shall I do with my money?', 19 November 2003.
- ^ First Ministers' Official Spokesperson Media Briefing Scottish Executive, Dec 1, 2005
