Meeting of the Parliament 25 March 2025
I thank Stuart McMillan for his work in highlighting a number of issues of importance to the maritime sector, both in Parliament tonight and through his role as convener of the cross-party group on recreational boating and marine tourism. I found members’ contributions on the issue to be thought provoking and considered, and I will reflect on them.
MSPs have highlighted the strength of feelings on a subject that is important to Scotland as a seafaring nation. Scotland’s waters are vast and unique, and the use of our seas for the movement of people and goods, fishing and recreation and to facilitate the increasing offshore energy demand shows that the issue will remain of huge importance in years to come. There will be challenges as a result of competing and changing demands, and ensuring that our waters remain safe for those at sea and that they are maintained and protected for future generations is crucial.
The port sector comprises a combination of ownership models, but the overarching principles of how a port can operate remain the same, regardless of whether a port authority is privately owned, in trust or operated by a local authority. Scottish ministers have no legal powers to instruct the decisions that a port makes, and that is legally enshrined in the Harbours Act 1964 and the local harbour order legislation that each port operates under, as Stuart McMillan and others have acknowledged. Harbour authorities are independent, self-governing bodies that are responsible for the safety and efficiency of marine operations within their jurisdiction, and their duties include managing ports and harbours for safe navigation, protecting the environment and ensuring overall operational efficiency. Therefore, the Scottish Government has no say in the day-to-day running of their business, nor can it dictate business decisions on how to best utilise their resources. Ports are held to account by their own legislation rather than by the Scottish or UK Government.