Brian Whittle has blasted the Scottish Government’s “amateurish” attempts to return Prestwick Airport to private ownership.
During a Ministerial Statement at Holyrood, the South Scotland MSP attacked the Scottish Government’s approach to the sale accusing them of a lack of transparency and failing to communicate with the preferred bidder.
Brian told the Chamber that the bidder had become so frustrated with the Scottish Government’s failure to communicate that they asked him to deliver a letter directly to Transport Secretary Michael Matheson on their behalf.
Reports have emerged that the bidder raised concerns about the condition of the runway and other major infrastructure within the airport with suggestions that costly repairs could be needed in the near future.
Finance Secretary Kate Forbes restated the Scottish Government’s commitment to returning the airport to private ownership but failed to give any indication of when that might be, what the reasons were for rejecting the most recent bid or how much more public money the Scottish Government will spend to keep the airport going until it’s sold.
Brian Whittle MSP said:
“Prestwick airport is a vital local and national asset and it deserves a secure long term future. The Scottish Government were right to save it from closure, but it seems they’ve got no plan beyond that.
If Prestwick is to have a successful future, it’s clear that it requires millions of pounds of investment in upgrades and repairs. That kind of money will not come from the Scottish Government, it will come from the private sector.
I have very serious concerns about the Scottish Government’s commitment to returning Prestwick to private ownership and, from what I’ve seen and heard, their efforts to do so have been amateurish at best.
The Cabinet Secretary won’t give a target date for selling, she won’t say what was wrong with the most recent bid and she won’t say what terms need to be met to agree a sale. While the SNP-Green coalition shroud the process in secrecy, there can be no certainty for the future of the airport.
I know there are still bidders interested in buying Prestwick, but no bid can be successful if the Scottish Government aren’t committed to selling and delivering the best possible future for Prestwick.”
