Executives at nationalised Prestwick Airport are expecting continued multi-million-pound public money support to keep it in existence while public spending auditors said it is not clear that government intervention has provided value for the taxpayer pound.

Audit Scotland has said that the Scottish Government’s propping up of the airport in loans has cost the taxpayer more than £31m – and that many millions more would be needed to sustain the airport as long as it remains in public hands, reports our sister title The Herald.

Financial papers seen by our sister title The Herald confirm that directors believe that support is expected to continue beyond that date “for the foreseeable future”.

The losses relate to the £43.8m of public money loan support given to the airport which auditors now say are valued at just £11.6m. Loan interest was valued at £7.4m but that has been valued at ‘nil’.

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