Come clean on ferry dealings, demands MSP

AN Highlands and Islands MSP has claimed the Scottish government wants to keep secret correspondence between it and the European Commission (EC) over the possible privatisation of lifeline ferry services.

Labour MSP David Stewart asked ministers to publish communications between Brussels and Holyrood since May 2011, regarding EU regulations and the tendering for the Clyde and Hebrides freight and ferry services.

The services are currently operated by CalMac, but a new five-year contract is out to competitive tender and will be awarded next year.

In a written reply, the Scottish government said it had no current plans to publish the correspondence.

Now Mr Stewart is set to write to Derek Mackay, the Scottish government transport minister, calling for the correspondence to be made public.

The Labour Party’s shadow transport minister at Holyrood said: ‘I have consistently argued the Scottish government should have made a stronger case to the EC to extend lifeline subsidised ferry services away from the ferry tendering process.

‘I think we should know exactly what they have discussed over recent years with the EC and Holyrood regarding ferry tendering.

‘CalMac is publicly- owned and managed and presents the best option for the workforce, passengers and the tax payer. The Scottish government should have been taking every measure to ensure our services don’t fall into the hands of the private sector.’