5. To ask the Scottish Government what impact it anticipates that the reported closure of Tayside Aviation will have on the financial sustainability of Dundee airport and associated Tay cities deal funding. (S6O-02168)

I say at the outset that I am very concerned to hear of the job losses at

Tayside Aviation. My thoughts are with the workers affected and their families.

The Scottish Government remains committed to providing Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd with sufficient support to maintain operations at all 11 of its airports, including Dundee. Scottish Government officials will discuss the implications for the Tay cities region deal with both local partners and the United Kingdom Government.

That the closure of Tayside Aviation does not threaten the future of the airport is of vital importance to Dundee, and I thank the minister for his assurance. Of course, it will be cold comfort to the 22 people who have lost their jobs.

Will the minister update Parliament on what the Government is doing to support the aviation academy for Scotland project and the Tay cities region deal project? What actions has he taken? Most important today, what assurances can he give those people who have paid money as students and who have lost the future that was in front of them? Has he had discussions with the Royal Air Force about the crucial contract that was in place—or which should have been in place—with the aviation academy? Will he meet me to discuss those really important issues?

I would be happy to meet Michael Marra to discuss those issues. I will also certainly check out his point about the RAF.

On his other two more general questions, it is important to say that no Scottish Government funding went directly to Tayside Aviation in support of students.

University students should have been contacted directly by their own universities. Scottish Government officials have been engaging with Middlesex University and the University of Central Lancashire, in particular, as delivery partners for the courses to understand what contingencies are in place to support those students who are most affected.

The wider aviation academy project, which is part of the local region deal, is a UK project of £8.1 million. Although the unfortunate business closure that we are talking about in Parliament today will certainly impact on the project’s future development, we want to continue to work with regional partners on exploring alternative viable delivery options.

As Michael Marra confirmed in his own remarks, we can confirm that funding will not be lost to the region and that we will continue to do what we can to support the airport.

At last week’s First Minister’s question time, I raised the issue that Michael Marra has just referred to about students, many of whom have paid large sums in fees up front for degree courses that were being partly delivered by Tayside Aviation. That is a huge financial issue for them, but the other question is how they can complete their degree courses without the provision of training local to their home base in Scotland. Does the minister have any suggestions as to what alternative provision might be made available to students caught in that situation?

I recognise the member’s interest in the issue. As I indicated in my previous answer, officials are in contact with the relevant universities to look at what alternative plans will be put in place and to discuss the wider implications of what has happened. I think that the best thing for me to do would be to speak to my colleagues and to drop a note to those local members who have an interest in the issue and its implications for the students concerned. We will provide an update as soon as we can.