THE SNP government will today face questions about a controversial decision to lend £45m to a struggling business owned by a billionaire adviser to Nicola Sturgeon.
The Scottish Tories have tabled an urgent question about the taxpayer funds - some given in secret - going to Ferguson Marine Engineering, the last commercial shipyard on the Clyde.
The firm is part of the Clyde Blowers empire owned by Monaco-based engineering tycoon Jim McColl, who sits on the First Minister’s council of economic advisers.
In June, SNP finance secretary Derek Mackay publicly announced a £30m loan to Ferguson Marine, which has fallen behind on a £97m government contract for two new CalMac ferries.
However it emerged last week Mr Mackay also gave Ferguson’s a £15m loan in September.
Although he informed Holyrood’s finance committee of the first loan, it was not made public until it was forced out of the government by a freedom of information request.
Tory MSP Jamie Greene, who tabled the question on the loans and their relationship to the troubled ferry contract, said the SNP appeared to be hiding the facts in the case.
He said: “When huge sums of public money are at stake, the public has a right to know what is going. The Minister needs to come to the chamber next week and do just that.”
The government and Ferguson’s have said the loans are to support shipbuilding on the Clyde and to help the company diversity and win new contracts.
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