A HOLYROOD committee has clashed with Scotland’s top civil servant over delays in the delivery of vital documents relating to the Alex Salmond probe.
The committee’s convener, MSP Linda Fabiani, warned the permanent secretary, Leslie Evans, that the “lack of progress” is “impinging” on the committee’s functioning.
An investigation, launched by Nicola Sturgeon’s Government in 2018, was tasked with looking into allegations against Salmond while he was first minister.
However, Salmond challenged the Government in court, with the judge ruling that the investigation was unlawful, having been tainted by bias.
A special committee was then established to look into the incident, which cost over £500,000 of public funds. It is looking closely at meetings between Salmond and Sturgeon while the unlawful investigation was ongoing.
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The committee asked for documents relating to anti-harassment policy, the investigation itself, the judicial review, any internal probes into those areas, and anything relating to whether Sturgeon breached ministerial code, an area the First Minister herself asked be investigated.
Fabiani asked that the information be provided by June 22, when the committee will next meet.
However, Evans said that, though the Government would endeavour to meet the timescale, some documents relating to the Salmond probe would not be available before the end of August.
Fabiani’s reply stated that June 22 was the “absolute end point”. She added that there were “serious concerns” about the August timescale as it did not meet the committee’s requirements.
A Scottish Government spokesperson said that the Government planned to meet the June 22 deadline, which had only been set in a letter on June 5, and stressed that, as it stood, no set deadlines had been missed.
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