Dear Voornaam, The bill just keeps climbing. The total cost for building the CalMac ferries Glen Sannox and Glen Rosa is now approaching £400 million – four times the original contract price. The delivery date is also now slipping. Transport Correspondent Alastair Dalton has been following the latest developments today. We have also been in the Scottish Parliament as MSPs prepare to vote on the Scottish Government budget. Controversy is raging over a number of areas, including cuts to areas such as housing and the hugely controversial council tax freeze. We will have all the very latest as it happens at scotsman.com Meanwhile, organisers of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe have demanded “urgent clarity” on how £100 million in promised new Scottish Government arts funding is to be allocated after losing out in a bid for crucial long-term support. Arts correspondent Brian Ferguson reports today Fringe Society chief executive Shona McCarthy believes the festival is being left to “fall between the cracks” of support for the the arts in Scotland. Over on sport, Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers has been defending himself against allegations of sexism after the BBC reporter he referred to as a "good girl" during a terse post-match interview insisted that she took no offence to the remark. Matt Elder picks up the story Have a great evening Alan |