Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the status and current value of the sinking fund for a new ferry to which to which the Isles of Scilly Steamship Company committed in return for a Government interest free loan toward the purchase of the Scillonian III.

I am not aware of the existence of any formal extant sinking-fund for this purpose, nor of a current obligation to hold one, although the Isles of Scilly Steamship Company are indeed responsible for providing the vessels necessary for their operations.

The IoSSC is due to be meeting Nusrat Ghani on 18 April to discuss. She is also meeting the Isles of Scilly Council next week to get their views on transport links to the Scillies.