Ex-minister Derek Mackay willing to be quizzed over ferry deal

Former Scottish transport minister Derek Mackay is said to be willing to be questioned by MSPs over the troubled deal to build two new CalMac ferries.

Current estimates say the two new ferries will be completed five years late, and could cost more than £250m - compared to an original price of £97m.

The Sunday Times reported that Mr Mackay was "willing to co-operate" with a Holyrood committee probing the deal.

He was transport minister when Ferguson Marine was awarded the contract.

The long-running row has escalated since an Audit Scotland report published last month highlighted how it was approved by ministers without normal financial safeguards being in place.

Mr Mackay resigned as finance secretary hours before he was due to deliver the Scottish budget in February 2020.

The SNP launched a disciplinary investigation after he admitted behaving "foolishly" by messaging a 16-year-old boy on social media, and he later resigned from the party.

The Glen Sannox and another vessel, only known as hull 802, are still under construction at the now government-owned Port Glasgow shipyard, although cabling issues mean neither will be in service until at least next year - five years later than planned.

The bill for the two ferries has already risen to at least £240m.

Opposition politicians at Holyrood have been demanding that both Mr Mackay and First Minister Nicola Sturgeon give evidence on the awarding of the contract to Ferguson Marine.

This was despite concerns being raised at the time over the suitability of the yard to conduct the work by Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited (CMAL), the organisation which owns CalMac ferries.

Now the Sunday Times has reported Mr Mackay had said in a statement: "I am willing to co-operate with a parliamentary committee and do my best to answer any questions they may have.

"To do so as comprehensively as possible I will seek access to the necessary papers and information that I am entitled to as a former government minister."

It comes in the wake of a report from public spending watchdog Audit Scotland that told how construction of the dual-fuel ferries - which are meant to serve routes on the Clyde and Hebrides - had been plagued by setbacks since they were first ordered.

A report revealed there had been "a multitude of failings" in the project.

Ms Sturgeon has conceded that the "fulfilment of the contract went badly wrong".

And while she has said it was Mr Mackay who took the original contract decision, she insisted as first minister she was responsible, telling MSPs: "The buck stops with me."

Conservative transport spokesman Graham Simpson told The BBC's Sunday Show he thinks Mr Mackay should appear before the public audit committee.

"What we don't know so far, because the Scottish government hasn't told us, is why the decision was taken to ignore CMAL's advice," he said.

"They were saying don't give that contract to Ferguson's. We don't know yet why that decision was taken, or indeed who took it. The SNP are trying to blame Derek MacKay so I'm surprised that he wants to come forward and speak to a committee."

Anas Sarwar, who also appeared on the programme, said: "The idea that such a big decision was taken by a junior minister without the approval of the first minister is unbelievable.

"That's why it is important that he gives evidence to the inquiry, I think it is important that the first minister gives evidence, and why not Jim McColl [former boss of Ferguson Marine] give evidence to the inquiry too?"

Liberal Democrat islands spokesman Willie Rennie said the former minister must give evidence to MSPs at the "very earliest opportunity".

Mr Rennie stated: "The first minister has spent the last 10 days claiming Derek Mackay was in charge of the bungled deal that has cost islanders and taxpayers so badly.

"He must now appear before parliament at the very earliest opportunity to give his evidence."

Transport Minister Jenny Gilruth said: "I'm not going to comment on former ministers. I don't think it would be appropriate for me to do so."

She added: "The fundamental thing now is that we get these delivered for the island communities who really desperately need them, and that is what we are absolutely focused on doing and committed to ensuring those ferries are out in service by the end of 2023."