§ Miss McIntoshTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the implications of the Altmark case on(a) ferry services sailing from ports in Scotland, (b) the application of the EU Ports Directive in Scotland and (c) competition between modes of transport by sea, air and rail. [136497]
§ Mr. JamiesonFinancial assistance for ferry services within Scotland is a devolved matter for the Scottish Executive. The Altmark case is very complex and the Scottish Executive and my Department are assessing the potential impact of the judgment on domestic and international maritime services and inter-modal competition.
The Access to Port Services Directive has not yet been adopted. While its potential application in the UK, including Scotland, has been considered during the negotiating process, it has not been possible, as yet, to make a detailed assessment of the potential impact of the Altmark case on implementation.
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