A WEST Scotland MSP says the Scottish Government must make a decision over the future of Ferguson Marine.

Labour's Katy Clark spoke out after the First Minister John Swinney faced questions in parliament about the yard.

It comes a week after his depute Kate Forbes visited Inverclyde to meet with unions.

Katy Clark  said:  “The Scottish Government need to stop delaying and make a decision.

“Given the First Minister’s acknowledgement of a need to support shipbuilding on the Clyde and for a wider industrial strategy, the Scottish Government must reflect on Inverclyde Council’s warnings that the yard may have to cut its workforce or ‘face closure within a reasonably short period of time’ without further work.

“The future of the yard is dependent on it getting further contracts.

"The Scottish Government needs to make the essential investment needed to reconfigure the yard to undo changes made in private ownership, ensuring the yard receives contracts for the new small vessels programme going forward.”