The police should be called in to investigate why key documents from the Scottish government’s botched Cal Mac ferries contract are missing, Jack McConnell has said.
The former Labour First Minister too to twitter to warn that the destruction of official documents relating to spiralling cost of the two unbuilt ferries was a crime under the Freedom of Information Act.
Lord McConnell spoke out after opposition politicians were left staggered by Nicola Sturgeon saying it was “regrettable” that key decisions around the contract for the vessels were not properly recorded.
The £250 million scandal deepened last week after Scotland’s Auditor General expressed frustration at not being able to review all documents relating to the awarding of a contract for two ferries fraught with delays and overspends.
A damning report from Audit Scotland found there was “insufficient documentary evidence” to explain why the contract was given to Port Glasgow-based Ferguson Marine without a full refund guarantee.
In the seven years since the contract was awarded, the yard has been saved from administration by the Scottish Government, and the estimated cost has jumped from £97 million to at least £250 million.
Lord McConnell, who led the government from 2001 to 2007, tweeted: “I’m sure that when we wrote and then passed the Freedom of Information Act, we included clauses to make the destruction or removal of official documents a crime.”
He added he hoped the auditor general was asking Police Scotland to investigate.
Nicola Sturgeon initially sought to blame the former junior minister Derek Mackay for the decision although more senior ministers were involved.
The First Minister has denied opposition claims of a cover-up and the Scottish Government has stated that “all relevant information that we hold has been shared with Audit Scotland”.
The two ferries, Glen Sannox and an unnamed vessel known as Hull 802 will be delayed until at least next year – five years later than planned.
The first ship was meant to enter service on the Arran route in the summer of 2018 but is not expected to be ready until next year at the earliest - five years late. Hull 802, destined for an Outer Hebrides route, has gone the same way.
The latest estimated cost for both ships is at least £250 million off an original fixed contract price of £97 million.
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