Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what representations he has received from the Scottish Government on financial support for (a) ports and (b) ship operators in connection with services from Scotland to the European continent.

We have not received representations from the Scottish Government on financial support for (a) ports and (b) ship operators in connection with services from Scotland to the European continent.

However, any such service would have to operate on a commercially viable basis and this would be a matter for any prospective ferry operator to consider.