South Scotland Labour List MSP, Colin Smyth, has sought assurances from the Scottish Government about the future of Prestwick Airport — after talks over a possible sale have now dragged into their eighth month.
The MSP tabled a series of written Parliamentary questions asking the Scottish Government to confirm it is still in detailed talks with a preferred bidder, selected in February.
Mr Smyth also wants to know whether it has a firm bid on the table for the sale of the airport and whether any sale will protect existing jobs and ensure the £40m of Government loans to the airport will be fully repaid by any new owner.
The questions were tabled after Mr Smyth raised the issue with the First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, in the Scottish Parliament last month.
However, he claims he was given ‘no clear answers’ over progress of any sale.
The Scottish Government appointed a preferred bidder for the airport in February 2021.
It came more than three months after a previous bidder pulled out and talks on the sale of the airport collapsed.
Since then there has been suggestions that the current preferred bidder, currently unknown, withdrew their original offer and has now tabled a far lower offer for Prestwick.
There is also suggestions that the preferred bidder has proposed a new, lower offer, amid concerns that the costs to upgrade facilities at the airport, including the runway, are far higher than expected.
Colin Smyth said: “It’s now nearly eight months since the Scottish Government appointed a preferred bidder for the sale of the airport, but we don’t seem to be any further forward.
“It’s clear there is a gap between any bid for the airport and what the Government is prepared to sell it for, and also speculation that the airport wasn’t open with the bidder about the level of investment needed to upgrade the site and, as a result, the bid has been lowered considerably.
“When the sale of Prestwick was first announced, I argued that it should only go ahead if the buyer agrees to pay back the tens of millions of pounds loaned to the airport from the public purse and existing jobs at the airport are secured.
“And if this can’t be agreed then the airport should remain open and run under public ownership.
“The SNP Government should not agree to a cut-price sale just so they can get shot of the airport, if that sells out both the tax-payer who is owed millions of pounds in unpaid loans, and the workforce whose jobs are ultimately on the line depending on the outcome of any sales bid.”
He added: “Any new owner needs to have clear plans to protect and grow jobs at the airport.
“We need answers and assurances from the Scottish Government over the future of Prestwick Airport.”
However, a Scottish Government spokesperson said: “The process to return Glasgow Prestwick Airport to the private sector continues and decisions have still to be taken in relation to the prospective sale of the business.
“We have committed to updating Parliament on the sale process at the appropriate stage.”
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