The Scottish National Party (SNP) has come under fire from the Scottish Labour party after it was revealed that children across the country are waiting up to two years for swimming lessons.

A BBC Scotland investigation revealed that 362 young people in Aberdeen are currently waiting for lessons, while Highland Council waiting lists are currently between three months and two years - delays that Scottish Labour have called "unacceptable". Frank McAveety, Scottish Labour's sport spokesperson, said: "It is unacceptable that children should have to wait up to two years for swimming lessons. I know that demand for classes can be high, but learning to swim is a vital skill which every child should learn before they leave primary school.

"I would like to see the Scottish Government step-in with a plan to deliver the call from Scottish Swimming for all young children to be entitled to free swimming lessons, as they are in England and Wales. Instead, the SNP are taking us in the wrong direction." Meanwhile, the Scottish Conservatives have also attacked the SNP government for failing to meet its target of ensuring that Scottish school children receive two hours of physical education (PE) each week.

The party has launched a new Sporting Trust in an attempt to encourage the development of sport in schools and young people across the country, backed by former Scottish rugby union player, Gavin Hastings. Liz Smith, shadow Scottish minister for children, schools and skills, said: "The SNP Government set a target of a minimum of two hours PE per week for every pupil. Nearly three years into a four year pledge, our research has shown that this promise is far from being fulfilled. It is our children who lose out.

"That is why the Conservatives are putting sport and PE back at the top of the agenda. We can announce today that we are setting up a new Sporting Trust to give a funding boost to school sport."