Tracing public money to Ferguson Marine ‘has proved difficult’, say MSPs

Tracing public money paid to a Government-owned shipyard for the completion of two late and over-budget ferries “has proved difficult”, a Holyrood committee has said.

The Glen Sannox and as-yet-unnamed hull 802 are due to be completed next year and could cost as much as £350 million – three-and-a-half times the initial £97 million contract price.

The Public Audit Committee has been looking into the procurement and construction of the two vessels.

In a letter to Ferguson Marine chief executive David Tydeman, committee convener Richard Leonard said: “The auditor general also reported that a further £110.3 million to £114.3 million is required by Ferguson Marine (Port Glasgow) to compete the vessels.

“Despite our efforts, it has proved difficult to identify how the vast sums of public money have been spent to deliver vessels 801 and 802, from the inception of the project in 2015 up to present day.

“The committee appreciates that you were not involved in the operation of the yard until February 2022.

“However, it is recognised that, in addition to your insights from being in post for almost a year at the yard, your wealth of experience in the construction and marine manufacturing industries, may enable you to offer a perspective on how this money could be accounted for.”

The shipyard gives regular updates to Deputy First Minister John Swinney and Permanent Secretary John-Paul Marks, along with a breakdown of how funding increases have been spent.

Mr Leonard asked if the committee could be privy to such updates.