Scottish Government Pouring £10 Million Into Operating, Capital Budgets

The Scottish government is set to pour the equivalent of $17 million into the operating and capital budgets of Prestwick airport to fund a backlog of repairs, terminal improvements, and general expenses.

The BBC reports that the move comes a year after the government paid one pound sterling for the facility when it was threatened with closure.

Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon (pictured) said that the airport would be operated as a public corporation on a commercial basis, and that the government would be kept "at arms length" from the facility.

Other airports in Scotland have said that the government should not be propping up Prestwick. A spokesman for Edinburgh Airport told the BBC that "Scotland's main airports create jobs and attract routes with no public subsidy and we believe that the market should not be distorted. Competition should be allowed to flourish."

Similarly, in a statement, Glasgow Airport authorities said that they "have previously received assurances that Glasgow Airport will not be placed at a competitive disadvantage, but will continue to seek clarity on how the Scottish government intends to develop its asset."

FMI: www.scottish.parliament.uk