Question reference: S5W-32864
- Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
- Date lodged: 28 October 2020
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Current status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 11 November 2020
Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to Government Initiated Question S5W-25894 by Paul Wheelhouse on 21 October 2019, whether it will provide an update on the status of Pentland Ferries’ State Aid complaint to the European Commission against the provision of subsidised lifeline ferry services for the Orkney Islands, and whether it will publish (a) the dates on which it has met and (b) copies of the correspondence it has had with the European Commission on this matter.
Answer
The European Commission has confirmed that it does not consider the public subsidy for the Northern Isles Ferry Services to constitute unlawful State aid. The Commission has also confirmed that it does not require the Scottish Government to provide any further information in relation to the complaint.
The Commission’s view accords with that of the Scottish Courts when the matter was considered under Judicial Review.
As State aid complaints are a confidential matter between the European Commission and the complainant, the Scottish Government would breach that confidentiality by disclosing any correspondence it may hold on Pentland Ferries’ State aid complaint.