Scottish Islands minister Paul Wheelhouse told MSPs (yesterday) shipbuilders Ferguson Marine was responsible for the major delays and cost overruns that have plaqued a pair of CalMac Ferries.

He said “contractor failure” had led to the fiasco which will see the ferries (see: Glen Sannox, first of the pair) completed at least four years late and cost twice as much as expected.

Mr Wheelhouse told the Scottish Parliament’s rural economy and connectivity committee: "An independent review of the process has concluded contractor failure has been the cause.”

Ferguson was taken over by ministers last year after it went into administration.

Mr Wheelhouse said the Scottish Government did what it could to ensure the project was finished on time as the relationship between Ferguson Marine and Scottish Government-owned Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited (Cmal), which ordered the ferries for CalMac, broke down.

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