Matheson pressed on Prestwick ties

Transport secretary Michael Matheson has stressed the Scottish Government is “not hiding behind anything” amid growing scrutiny of Glasgow Prestwick Airport’s financial dealings with the US military.

Scottish Liberal Democrats MSP Mike Rumbles asked Mr Matheson how much was allegedly waived in service fees for US armed forces aircraft on stopovers at the hub, and when he knew of the allegations, but the cabinet secretary did not directly address the questions.

In a heated exchange at Holyrood, Mr Matheson said the state-owned airport was run at arms-length from the government, and that Prestwick decided on “specific commercial deals”.

It comes after The Scotsman revealed details of the alleged fee waiver arrangements at the loss making airport, which is the focus of a Congressional investigation over US defence department payments made to the airport and US president Donald Trump’s nearby Turnberry resort.

Patrick Harvie MSP, co-leader of the Scottish Greens, said he found the government’s “nothing to see here attitude rather disturbing” and asked if it was not offensive for a Scottish publicly owned asset “to be effectively subsidising the military operations of a dangerous far right regime”.

Mr Matheson replied: “It doesn’t provide any subsidy. It operates on a commercial basis.”