58 Whatever the rights and wrongs of these arguments, it is clear that the process has become controversial. One way to enhance the PSC's credibility would be to incorporate more transparent and robust data. LEAs, often with the help of external advisers, did try to construct credible PSCs, but they faced difficulties caused by data shortages. There was a lack of real benchmarks, partly because there had been no recent major investment in new schools to provide them, but also because PFI is an essentially different product (for example, in the schemes examined some of the specified outputs - for example, cleaning - were set at a level of quality and consistency not previously delivered).
59 Under PFI, information about the actual costs of building schools rests with the private sector and will not be automatically available for LEAs to use as benchmarks. Moreover, these are the prices that are the product of the current PFI marketplace, and are not necessarily representative of the wider construction and FM marketplace, or of an LEA commissioning the same product via other means. Unless LEAs are able to commission similar products from the marketplace - using the same PFI principles of whole-life costing, optimal risk transfer, payment incentives and output specifications, but via different procurement and financing routes - it will not be possible to assess what costs LEAs would really incur.