Humza Yousaf’s Statement to Parliament of 24 May 2018 confirmed that the Scottish Ministers would tender the Northern Isles Ferry Services and continue to build a case for making a direct award to an in-house operator that satisfies both the application of the Teckal exemption and the State aid rules well in advance of the existing Clyde and Hebrides contract ending in 2024. In the intervening period, our priority has been focused on tendering the Northern Isles Ferry Services and continued engagement with the European Commission about Pentland Ferries' State aid and RET complaints.