CALMAC'S £1M BILL FOR STAFF BUILDING FOUR FERRIES IN TURKEY

MORE than £1million has been spent sending CalMac and CMAL staff to Turkey to oversee the construction of four new ferries, it has emerged.

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The two companies, which operate and manage Scotland's nationalised ferry networks, have spent £1,016,162 on wages, subsistence, accommodation, flights and car hires on staff visiting the Turkish yard since 2022.

CalMac have sent eight staff to Turkey, spending £845,981, whilst £170,181 was spent on five CMAL employees.

One Ferguson Marine employee was also sent to Turkey but the costs were covered by CMAL.

The Scottish Conservatives, who obtained the figures via a freedom of information request, said taxpayers are being "left to pick up the tab" for the SNP's "ferries fiasco which has left islanders without the vessels they need".

CalMac said the bulk of the cash related to wages, which would have been paid even if staff did not go to Turkey. It said the extra amount due to travelrelated expenses was £23,000. CMAL also said the same wages would have been paid to its staff regardless of travel costs.

The Cemre shipyard in Turkey was awarded the contracts to build four new vessels worth more than £200 million.