Further delays to years late and over budget ferry 'unacceptable', says Swinney
The First Minister has said further delays to the years-late and millions-over-budget Arran ferry are 'unacceptable'.
John Swinney came under attack from opposition leaders on Thursday just days after the Scottish Government-owned Ferguson Marine revealed that the completion of the MV Glen Rosa had once again been delayed until at least June 2026.
The ship is now due to enter service at least eight years late and the price tag has also increased by millions.
Initially, both the Glen Rosa and the other new dual-fuel ferry, the Glen Sannox, were due to cost £97m and be in service between Arran and the mainland by 2018, but substantial delays have driven costs up to more than £400m.
The Glen Sannox entered service earlier this year.
'The time that it's taken to build the Glen Rosa is unacceptable,' Swinney said at FMQs on Thursday.
'The deputy first minister set out to Parliament yesterday many of the reasons why that's the case.
'This has obviously caused disruption to island communities and the Scottish Government is very focused on making sure, with the measures that the Deputy First Minister outlined yesterday, that early progress is made on the Glen Rosa and it can join the Glen Sannox in service at the earliest opportunity.'
Opposition politicians pressed the First Minister to take more responsibility for the delays.
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar highlighted that the Glen Rosa was first due over half a decade ago.
'Combined with the Glen Sannox, which was launched almost seven years late, the cost of the two ships is now over £460m – that's nearly five times the original contract price,' he said.
'The fact that the new vessels don't even fit at the preferred Port of Ardrossan makes the matter even worse. In same week, it's been revealed that cancellations due to repairs on the ageing CalMac fleet have risen by staggering 531%. So much for steadying the ship. Why is John Swinney unable to get a grip on this crisis?'
Scottish Tory leader Russell Findlay requested the First Minister reveal what the 'final cost' will be for taxpayers.
'He has never accepted blame, no one in the SNP ever has or ever does,' Findlay said.
'Not a single one of them has held their hands up to islanders or taxpayers. Half-a-billion pounds wasted, nearly a decade wasted, so who is responsible?'
In response, Swinney said he 'unreservedly' accepts responsibility for 'everything that happens in the name of my Government', adding he and Transport Secretary Fiona Hyslop regularly engage with islanders about ferry services.
'I make clear to Parliament that it is unacceptable these vessels have cost so much and that delays have been experienced,' Swinney reiterated.
'This Government is very focused on making sure they enter service so we can deliver on our commitments to a sustainable ferry service to island communities.'
Defending the SNP's record on ferries, Swinney added his Government is 'very focused' delivering on its commitments to support island communities in Scotland.
He said ferry travel to island communities is 'significantly cheaper' than the ferry services would have been had the Government not introduced road-equivalent tariff into our ferry services.
He added: 'So we've made ferry services more affordable for people in our island communities… we're providing specific support to island communities that have been affected by disruption, and we're investing in the new vessel fleet.
'That is this Government delivering on its commitments to support our island communities in Scotland.'
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