Firms ‘would only get £1,300 from Calmac fines’

Business across Scotland’s islands affected by ferry disruption would only receive just over £1,000 in compensation if it were to be paid out using fines handed to Calmac, new research has found.

Ministers have previously rejected a call for millions of pounds worth of Calmac performance penalties, which are issued for late and cancelled services, to be used to compensate islanders for cuts to services have forced many to accept a slash in their income.

While First Minister Humza Yousaf said he was willing to further consider compensation, he was unable, after being pushed, to make any commitment.

If ministers were to follow through with such a scheme, the Scottish Conservatives, however, said businesses would only receive about £1,300 per head this year in compensation.

In a written answer to Donald Cameron MSP, the Scottish Government confirmed that between the first six monthsofcalmac’scontract year, October 2022-March 2023,atotalof£1,454,997has been deducted from the ferrycompany’scontractdueto late and or cancelled ferries.

This would equate to £2,909,994 across the full year,thescottishtoriessaid.

The party then divided that figure by the number of businesses in the Western Isles, and island businesses in Argyll & Bute, the Isleofarranandskye,which have been the worst hit by ferry delays and cancellations. This, they said, would amount to around 2,288 businesses.

The total for each business would therefor come to £1,271.85 in compensation.

Calmac chief executive Robbie Drummond said: “We recognise that breakdowns and cancellations are damaging for communities, which is why we have invested record sums in our fleet to maintain vessel resilience and service.”