Current status: Answered by Neil Gray on 19 June 2023
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-17995 by Neil Gray on 30 May 2023, for what reason it remains committed to returning the airport to private ownership, in light of it having "performed well in a highly competitive aviation market and is now a profitable business".
Scottish Ministers' stated objective since purchasing Glasgow Prestwick Airport in 2013 has been to return the business to the private sector when the time and circumstances are right for the business and for the Scottish Government as shareholder.
That means we must be confident that any sale would not only represent value for the taxpayer but would put the business on a firm footing going forward and secure wider economic benefit to build on the foundations we have put in place.
Any purchase offer from a private operator will be evaluated against these objectives and will only proceed if they are met.