Extracted from
<https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2021/07/04/shipyard-row-could-sink-snp-government/>

An independent public inquiry into how Nicola Sturgeon “confiscated” a Port
Glasgow shipyard could bring down the SNP administration, according to one
of Scotland’s richest ­businessmen.

Billionaire engineering tycoon Jim McColl has accused Scottish ministers of
“a concerted effort to cover up” how the 118-year-old Ferguson Marine
shipyard was nationalised almost two years ago.

A parliamentary inquiry, led by the Conservative MSP Sir Edward Mountain,
concluded last year that the £106m procurement of two ferries by a
state-owned body from Ferguson had been a “catastrophic failure”. Sir
Edward and Colin Smyth, Scottish Labour economy spokesman, last night
backed Mr McColl’s demands for a public inquiry.

Mr McColl says that the “full truth” can only come out if a public inquiry
chaired by a judge is convinced with mandatory ­evidence given under oath.
He said: “I think that if a proper public inquiry had been done, it would
bring them [the Scottish government] down.”

Now being built under state control, Mr McColl estimates the cost to the
taxpayer could soar to almost £300m.

He said: “It’s not just the amount. It’s not like they just make a mistake
and put their hands up. I think there has been a concerted effort to cover
up what’s really going on here.”

Mr McColl claims bosses Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited (CMAL), a
Holyrood quango, refused to negotiate over increased costs of design
changes.

His claims were attacked as “baseless” by CMAL, who said a mediator was
appointed, but talks did not go ahead because Ferguson bosses “were unable
to express legal reasons for payment to them beyond ‘unforeseen
complexity’”.

The Scottish government said the dispute was a matter for CMAL and that a
parliamentary inquiry had scrutinised the issues.

Sir Edward said: “The ferries fiasco is a national disgrace and is down to
‘catastrophic mismanagement’ as the RECC Committee identified.

“Having been the Convenor of the Inquiry I am convinced the whole story has
not come out.

“I would support an independent judge-led inquiry, which is unlikely to
happen, as I suspect there will be more uncomfortable truths that the
Government may not wish to face.”

Mr Smyth said: “Six years on from this contract being awarded, no minister
has taken any responsibility for this catastrophic failure, but the
taxpayers bill continues to rise.

“The Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee’s report made clear there
remained unanswered questions and called for Audit Scotland to carry out an
inquiry.

“Our Island communities and Scottish taxpayers deserve better and if an
independent inquiry is what’s required to get to the bottom of this
continuing mess, then so be it.”

Meanwhile, the islands are still waiting for the delivery of the two
vessels. Gavin Fulton from the Arran Ferry Action Group said: “We depend on
the boats for everything. Our lives and livelihoods are controlled by the
boats. Everything we need comes on that boat. So we now have boats that are
very old, very unreliable and they break down.”

On 05/07/2021 00:52, Recliner wrote:
> An independent public inquiry into how Nicola Sturgeon “confiscated” a Port
> Glasgow shipyard could bring down the SNP administration, according to one
> of Scotland’s richest ­businessmen.

Won't Sturgeon just claim again that she cannot remember?