Prestwick Airport loan funding: FOI release

Information requested

I am trying to find out what financial support has been given by Transport Scotland to the company in control of Prestwick Airport for each year since Scottish ministers took control of the establishment in November, 2013. This would cover all financial assistance or subsidy to help with the running of the business and would include covering matters such as support for repairs, infrastructure, working capital and Covid-19.

Secondly can I ask if rates relief has been provided to the airport since 2013, and what the value of that relief is for each year since then.

Response

The Scottish Government has not provided subsidy however Prestwick Airport has received the following loan funding:

Year	Loan funding provided (£m)
2013-14	4.5
2014-15	6.3
2015-16	10.0
2016-17	9.6
2017-18	8.0
2018-19	1.5
2019-20	3.5
2020-21	0
2021-22	0

In response to the impact of Covid-19, 100% rates relief was provided in 2020-21 and 2021-22 to 17 airports with scheduled passenger services, other properties situated at those airports and used to provide handling services for scheduled passenger flights, and properties occupied by Loganair, which operates flights in the Highlands and Islands. These airports, including Prestwick Airport, are listed in legislation.

The Scottish Government sets the legislative framework for non-domestic rates and it is for local authorities to interpret and administer the system in accordance with that framework. The Scottish Government does not hold data on the final value of relief awarded to individual properties. However, in estimating the potential cost of the relief ahead of introduction we assumed that Prestwick Airport could receive relief up to £786,000 for 2020-21, and £774,000 for 2021-22. In 2020-21, the Scottish Government took the decision to reduce the poundage from 49.8p to 49p, resulting in lower values of 100% reliefs.

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