The Scottish Government

Declaration on the Campbeltown-Ballycastle ferry service

We have taken the opportunity today to discuss progress on our joint proposal for a ferry service between Campbeltown and Ballycastle.

We were pleased that following close work between our two administrations significant progress has been made towards appointing a consultant to undertake a new economic appraisal. We are looking for the economic appraisal to consider all of the possible service options for this service, and we look forward to the results of the appraisal being available by summer 2008.

We agreed that both administrations will give the appraisal urgent consideration as soon as it becomes available and we also agreed that we would publish today a joint paper setting out our proposed way forward.