Question reference: S6W-03825
- Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
- Date lodged: 19 October 2021 Registered interest
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Current status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 15 November 2021
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that contracts for the vessel replacement programme outlined in its Infrastructure Investment Plan to 2025-26 are directly awarded to (a) publicly-owned shipyards and (b) other shipyards in Scotland or the rest of the UK.
Answer
CMAL conducted an open tender process for delivery of the new vessels intended to service the Islay routes. Under procurement law, direct award of vessels to any shipyard is only permitted under limited circumstances. We have to approach the issue of direct award with care. We are looking at future contracts from public agencies and whether any might be legally open to direct awards. No decision has yet been taken regarding the direct award of future vessels to publicly owned shipyards or any other shipyard in Scotland and the rest of the UK.