THE future of Prestwick Airport and its potential status as a spaceport has come under scrutiny.

Nicola Sturgeon has said Prestwick is in a good position to be the United Kingdom's first spaceport.

She stopped short, however, of endorsing the airport as the Scottish Government's preferred candidate.

A total of eight sites across the UK have been shortlisted for selection. Six of these sites are in Scotland.

It is understandable therefore that the Scottish Government is maintaining a publicly neutral stance in relation to the matter.

The Scottish Government rescued Prestwick last year by taking over all of the liabilities attached to the airport.

This year, the airport is forecast to lose some £5 million.

It is looking increasingly likely that, without some form of major intervention, Prestwick will be unable to continue operating within its current model.

In addition, the Scottish Government has committed a further £10 million of future investment in repairs and improvements to its infrastructure.

Prestwick Airport is of considerable significance, both to Scotland and the Ayrshire communities within which it resides.

Unemployment rates within the local area would rank among the highest in Scotland.

The airport is a significant employer, and both through direct and indirect employment, the airport has a very pronounced impact upon the local community.

There is also a well developed engineering and aerospace infrastructure within Ayrshire, which would be stimulated by the creation of spaceport status.

Ayrshire needs a vibrant Prestwick. Given its importance to the local economy, together with its existing infrastructure, skills and capacity, Prestwick can make some very strong arguments.

With some £10 million additional investment in infrastructure, allied to the Scottish Government's losses of around £5 million per year, the case looks somewhat compelling.

While they may not say so publicly, it isn't too difficult to deduce which site Scottish Government will privately be backing for spaceport status.

Well it's not rocket science - or is it?

EDUCATION Secretary Mike Russell this week sought to stimulate debate about our education system by saying he would welcome a discussion on whether children should start school aged six.

This is a model employed by many countries around the world, but it is clear that there are significant cultural and practical differences which would require to be considered in Scotland.

One of the key practical difficulties which would quickly emerge would be the availability of pre-school or nursery provision.

If our children didn't start school until they were six that would place considerable strain on our pre-school facilities, not to mention the parents. Also, in solving the problem on one side for those children who are not sufficiently mature to begin schooling until six, it causes a problem for all those on the other side who are absolutely ready, at four or five.

In these formative years of their lives, children can be very different in their ability and attitude to learning. Perhaps a sensible pre-entry check or cognitive test could be developed, to ensure that they enter the formal education process at the right age.

I have no difficulty with a mature debate on this matter. However, consideration of these issues shouldn't be stimulated by affordability or concerns about cost. The real challenge of Scotland's education system will be to teach the next generation how to think, not what to think.

THE future of naval shipbuilding on the Clyde was called into question this week.

The Royal Navy's First Sea Lord, Admiral Zambellas, revealed that the Navy may not build their frigates on the Clyde, as promised, and may buy French warships instead.

Are we to believe that the potential Clyde contract for £4 billion for the construction of 13 new frigates maybe under threat? Surely not.

What happened to all those pre-referendum pledges from the political parties about the bright future that the Clyde had, if only we all voted No to independence.

Are 11,000 jobs on the Clyde really at risk? For the first time in peace-time Britain, will we be building warships overseas?

The answer to all of these questions can be found in the current negotiations over price, which are being undertaken by the MOD and BAE Systems.

The Admiral's remarks represent a thinly disguised bluff aimed at keeping BAE's pencil sharp on cost.

And so, to all those politicians who foolishly entered the political fray on this matter, I say, don't panic. The frigates will be Clyde built, 100% guaranteed.

Of that, at least, we can be sure.