Chamber and committees

Are you saying categorically that no extraordinary rendition flights have entered into Prestwick, unless, of course, they have been cleared by the UK Government?

We have just heard a little about the strategic commercial assets division, the existence of which I think we all welcome. Rightly, the cabinet secretary has pointed out that this is about looking at strategy rather than at day-to-day operations. However, some of the answers to our questions in our earlier session about strategy, not just day-to-day operations, were a little vague, shall we say.

I asked about the reliance on income from military operations and, given that such things can change rapidly, the strategy for ensuring that that revenue stream continues. The response was pretty vague. I asked about the ambitions to create a spaceport in the area. The response was pretty vague. A question was asked about the opportunity in moving to sustainable aviation fuel. The response was pretty vague.

What is the level of scrutiny from the strategic commercial assets division when it comes to teasing out the prospects for some of those things? I am not asking about the day-to-day operations but about strategic planning.

I have one final question. Everyone wants to see the sale go ahead and we want to get rid of every possible controversy in order to ensure that that happens. I asked a question earlier about the allegations that Prestwick has hosted extraordinary rendition flights, which is a breach of international law and is extremely controversial.

The folks from Prestwick took pains to say that the UK Government decides who is allowed to land and that doors often remain locked after planes have landed. I know that the Scottish Government has previously asked the UK Government for assurances that such flights are not happening in Scotland. Cabinet secretary, could the Scottish Government do that again? It might be a little bit more difficult to get the sale through while there are allegations that those controversial flights are landing at Prestwick, because some folk would not touch that sort of controversy with a barge pole.

Okay, but I do not think that you have got to the nub of the question in your answers. What are the alternatives for those air forces, other than Prestwick? Why Prestwick?

Okay. That is grand—it would be the responsibility of the UK Government.

Let us turn to your ambitions for a spaceport. The annual accounts note that

“Achieving a horizontal Spaceport facility has been an ambition of the Airport for a number of years”.

What are the benefits of securing that for the airport? What progress have you made? What are the main barriers that you need to overcome? What analysis have you done of the competition—there is a lot of competition, even here in Scotland—in leading on spaceport flights?

How reliable have the revenues that are linked to military operations and planning been? How can you plan effectively when that revenue stream is uncertain?

An internship scheme would certainly be worth looking at, without a doubt.

One of the things that has been great about Aberdeen and the north-east is that when we have attracted folk, and students in particular, to come to Aberdeen, many of them stay. I saw that just the other day with regard to the work that X-Academy is doing in matching folk with green jobs, which involves a number of those on the accelerator programme who came here to study and never left.

An internship is a good idea, as you said, but how do we retain and export community knowledge that is accrued from successful projects in order to help other projects become a success? Could we have a scheme to allow folk the freedom to work in that sphere?

I am very pleased to hear that, minister, because a huge amount of the language that is used in some of the legislation is very outdated indeed—and, in fact, insulting to people.

You talked about changes that can be made in primary legislation. Without doubt, the opportunity for that is there as the Government moves forward with the primary legislation required by the Scott review recommendations. I take it that, when it reaches that stage, you will be willing to ensure that whatever comes out of that review is reflected in the regulations that you set in the future, as you expand from your “starting small” proposal.

Where are the other data gaps? You may wish to bring in your colleagues to answer that.

Do any of your colleagues want to comment on some of those questions about data gaps and experiences?