Call for clarity over MV Loch Seaforth
Highlands and Islands Labour MSP Rhoda Grant has called for transparency in the funding and ownership row surrounding the MV Loch Seaforth.
This comes after the news Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited (CMAL), a wholly-owned public corporation of the Scottish Government, does not own the MV Loch Seaforth, which operates on the Ullapool to Stornoway crossing.
Mrs Grant said: ‘Not only are the communities and businesses of the Western Isles being subjected to the failing attempts to provide lifeline services, we have recently witnessed debilitating situations with ferries being damaged while attempting to dock in safe environments, being removed from service without consultation, suffering a major mid-sailing breakdown of the fleet’s flagship vessel with 345 people on board, without proper answers. We are now subject to the revelation CMAL does not, and appears never to be able to, own the MV Loch Seaforth.’
The MSP added: ‘Is it not bad enough the communities and businesses of the Western Isles have been treated with utter contempt by the SNP and its total ineptitude in providing answers to the suffering caused by the lack of a proper ‘fit-for-purpose’ ferry provision? I now understand the government, through CMAL, did not purchase the vessel MV Loch Seaforth but instead have spent millions of taxpayers’ money in leasing the vessel.’
Mrs Grant claims that although the vessel cost £45 million to build, there was a further £7.3m spent in costs and fees.
She continued: ‘As if this wasn’t enough of a scandal, CMAL then decide to sign a lease deal with Lloyds Bank and sub-lease it to CalMac Ferries Limited, which is actually trying to run the ferry company.
‘The SNP Government through CMAL pay a rental for eight years for the vessel of around £53m of taxpayers' money.
‘The SNP Government then sub-lease the vessel from CMAL to CalMac Ferries Limited for the same amount of time.
‘Huge amounts of taxpayers’ money is being used to prop up this deal which I predict is only throwing good money after bad.’ The deal, which ends in 2022, requires MV Loch Seaforth to be returned to Lloyds in an ‘as new’ condition and Mrs Grant says more money will need to be spent restoring a vessel that has seen ‘eight hard years of service’ to the requirements of the lease.
She continued: ‘What happens after the lease runs out?
‘The only two options the government will have is to renegotiate a further lease of a vessel they have in effect fully paid for already or buy another one.’
Mrs Grant concluded: ‘There has to be a full and immediate investigation into this arrangement. We require transparency from the Scottish Government on this deal.’