Lords to rule on whether PFI aimed to hide liabilities off balance sheet

The Lords' economic affairs committee will announce its verdict on the Private Finance Initiative on Wednesday.

Gordon Brown, as chancellor and Prime Minister, has used the model to build hospitals, schools and roads since Labour came to power in 1997. The committee is investigating if the policy was used as a way of getting huge liabilities off the Government's balance sheet. Also on Wednesday, the latest jobless figures will be released.