First Minister should have been aware of ‘urgency’ around Ferguson Marine situation says former shipyard owner
Nicola Sturgeon should have been aware of the impending “crisis” around the construction of two ferries five-anda-half years ago, the former owner of Ferguson Marine shipyard has claimed.
In a submission to the Scottish Parliament’s public audit committee, pro-independence tycoon jimmc coll also accused the Scottish Government of misleading Parliament, the Auditor general and the public over the nature of the contract.
Mr Mccoll, who rescued the yard in 2014 during the independence referendum campaign, was responding to Ms Sturgeon’ s evidence to the same committee earlier this month.
The furious dispute between the two has escalated in recent months as both attempt to escape blame for the delay to the construction of two ferries intended for the clyde and he brides network. hull 801 and hull 802 will now cost more than £300 million and be delivered at least six years late.
They were initially costed at £97m when the contract was signed. That contract award by ferry infrastructure body CMAL has faced accusations of being “rigged” in favour of the Port glasgow yard, while workers have blamed MrMc coll for destroying their shipyard.
In his evidence to MSPS, Mr Mccoll said the First Minister should have known the scale of the problems facing the yard following a meeting in May 2017. Ms Sturgeon faces accusations she breached the ministerial code around the meeting due to the apparent lack of minutes.
The businessman said: “The First Minister said she did not go into it thinking it was a great crisis meeting, nor did she come out of it thinking it was. The fact that I had to appeal to the First Minister directly was an indication that it was a very serious situation.
"I communicated that clearly to her at the meeting. She could have been in no doubt about the urgency of the situation and that if we did not do something ,it would become a crisis.”
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “The FM stands by the evidence, and the follow-up information requested by the committee will be provided in due course. The Scottish Government’s priorities have always been the completion of the two ferries, securing a future for the yard and its workforce, and supporting our island communities.”