Boss of shipyard nationalised by Nicola Sturgeon paid £2,500 a day

The boss of a Glasgow shipyard controversially nationalised by the SNP has been paid a day rate of more than £2,500 for almost two years, making him one of Britain's highest-earning public servants.

Tim Hair has invoiced fees of £1.3m at the taxpayer’s expense since being hired to turn around Ferguson Marine, according to figures published by Holyrood.

His pay since August 2019 surpasses the likes of Mark Thurston, the boss of HS2, the best-paid public official in Whitehall.

It also towers over the £160,000 salary paid to Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland's first minister.

Opposition leaders condemned Mr Hair's pay as “extortionate”.

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The SNP nationalised 118-year-old Ferguson Marine after it ran into difficulties building two ferries for CalMac, a state-owned operator which runs services between the Scottish mainland and surrounding islands.

These ferries have still not been delivered. Jim McColl, a billionaire businessman who previously owned the shipyard - and was once an adviser to Ms Sturgeon - has estimated that the taxpayer could be landed with a bill of more than £300m to complete them.

Mr Hair, the former chief of engineering firm Chamberlain, was appointed by the head of Transport Scotland in a decision signed off by then finance minister Derek Mackay, according to details published by officials in response to a Freedom of Information Act request.

His contract was for an initial period of two to three months, but he remains in the post and charges a daily rate of £2,565.

Earlier this year it emerged that Ferguson Marine had racked up £100m of losses in just four months after being nationalised by Ms Sturgeon’s administration.

Liam Kerr, a Conservative MSP, said: “Ferguson Marine has lurched from one financial crisis to another in recent years and the SNP have blown millions of taxpayers money as a result.

“SNP ministers have left our island communities without lifeline ferries with no end in sight. The public will be appalled that SNP ministers signed off on such an extortionate daily rate.

“There is a real risk this company could collapse, yet SNP ministers appear content to continue to pay top bosses thousands a day despite the failures continuing.”

Monthly progress reports on Mr Hair’s performance are sent to the Scottish government and Transport Scotland, the Holyrood filings show.

Scottish ministers denied responsibility for Mr Hair’s remuneration.

A Holyrood spokesman said: “The Scottish government is no longer involved in the turnaround director’s contractual arrangements and this point would be for the [Ferguson Marine] yard to answer.”

Ferguson Marine did not comment.

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