Many options were considered before the government decided to buy the Steam Packet, the House of Keys has been told.

Douglas South MHK Kate Beecroft continues to rock the boat over the deal and this week asked the Minister for Infrastructure Ray Harmer to list the alternatives considered before he gave his support to the purchasing of the Steam Packet.

Mr Harmer told Mrs Beecroft that from her time in the Council of Ministers, she knows the options.

He noted the government had produced reports from advisers Oxera Consulting LLP, Park Partners and Mr Robin Bromley-Martin.

Mr Harmer said: ’The possible options considered included: partial state ownership; negotiated concession (another user agreement); operation with government owned vessels; joint venture in the form of a public/private partnership; regulation through legislation; creation by government of a company limited by guarantee; operation as a franchise; accepting the offer from Isle of Man Steam Packet Company Limited for a new strategic sea services agreement; or do nothing and wait for the user agreement to expire in 2026.’

Mr Harmer continued that the decision taken was to secure the company if the price was right and the company’s offer of a new user agreement was rejected.

He added that many of the alternatives would only be possible with either agreement or ownership of the company or just letting the user agreement end.

Mrs Beecroft then asked the minister three times if that was the complete list of options considered.

In response Mr Harmer stated how he saw the choices, ’buy, expire or accept the offer’, adding that strategic control is the key to the ferry operations.

Mrs Beecroft explained she was not arguing or asking about the deal, rather she was concerned with what other options were ruled out.

After her third time of asking, Mr Harmer said: ’This is the full list of options that were explored.

’Are there any other variants or minor deviations?

’Of course there may well be, but this is the list of options.’

During the back and forth discussion, Mrs Beecroft made reference to comments made by Mr Harmer during the Tynwald debate in May on purchasing the Steam Packet.

At the time, Mr Harmer said: ’I would like to applaud those efforts and in particular, yes, we are conscious of all the options that are out there, but quite frankly all the options - dare I say it? - Stink.’

When Tynwald agreed to purchase the Steam Packet in May, Mrs Beecroft was the only person to vote against the motion.