A LOCAL councillor and teacher has raised fresh concerns about the Scottish Government's promise to deliver laptops computers and tablets to school pupils in Inverclyde.

Labour's Francesca Brennan has written to local MSP Stuart McMillan saying she fears they will not be delivered.

During the last Holyrood election campaign, in 2021, depute first minister John Swinney promised that every pupil would have a device - and the ability to connect to it as well.

But since then they have come under pressure to get the devices out to pupils.

Councillor Brennan, who works as a teacher, said: "Almost two years on, the laptops are still missing in transit.

"We hear too often the excuse that ‘times have changed’ but this promise was made against a backdrop of pandemic when the fiscal challenges ahead were already depressingly clear."

West Scotland Conservative MSP Jamie Greene, who is from Greenock, has also raised the issue in the Scottish Parliament.

Councillor Brennan meanwhile asked for an update on it at a recent education and communities committee meeting.

During the campaign depute first minister Mr Swinney said: "If we are re-elected in May, the SNP will roll out a new programme to deliver into the hands of every school child in Scotland a laptop, Chromebook or tablet to use in school and at home.

"It will come with a free internet connection and full technical support.

"It will be updated when necessary, replaced when needed and upgraded as technology improves."

The pledge to give pupils devices followed the digital divide that opened up during the pandemic, making home learning impossible for many families.

MSP Mr McMillan has defended the pledge and says the promise was to deliver this by the end of the parliament.

When contacted by the Tele his constituency office said that in 2020/21 a total of 1,107 devices were provided to children in Inverclyde using money from a £25m digital inclusion fund made available by the Scottish Government.