A SPECIAL Holyrood committee set up to probe how misconduct allegations against former first minister Alex Salmond were handled is to meet for the first time.
The Scottish Parliament has established the Committee on Scottish Government Handling of Harassment Complaints.
But it is to put its inquiry on hold until the conclusion of a court case against Salmond. The former SNP leader appeared in court in Edinburgh in January, charged with 14 offences, including two of attempted rape, but insisted afterwards that he refutes “absolutely these allegations of criminality”.
Papers published ahead of today’s meeting said while the committee’s remit was to “focus on how complaints about Salmond were dealt with” under the existing Scottish Government procedures, there was “a substantial risk that issues raised during any inquiry could relate to the matters being dealt with in the court proceedings”. As a result it has been recommended the committee should not seek written evidence or hold oral evidence sessions until the case has concluded.
Nine MSPs are on the committee, including four from the SNP, two from the Conservatives, and one each from Labour, the Scottish Greens and the LibDems.
Ahead of the first meeting, Labour repeated calls for the SNP to give up the position of committee convener, which it was allocated under Holyrood convention.
It is intended that current Holyrood Deputy Presiding Officer Linda Fabiani will take on the role, with MSPs in the Parliament having already approved the make-up of the committee.
But Jackie Baillie, the Labour MSP on the committee, said: “This committee has a vital job to do in terms of rebuilding public trust; so it needs to get off on the right foot.
“The SNP should do the right thing an ensure an MSP from a different party takes the chair of this committee.”
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