THREE members of the Holyrood committee investigating the Scottish Government’s handling of harassment complaints have hit out at convener Linda Fabiani for closing down questions at the first session.
LibDem Alex Cole-Hamilton, Labour’s Jackie Baillie and Tory Murdo Fraser have put their names to the letter after questions to top civil servant Leslie Evans about rules in place during Alex Salmond’s time in office were ruled out of order.
During Tuesday’s session of the committee, Fraser said it had been “stated publicly that female civil servants were advised not to be alone in the company of the former First Minister”.
He asked Evans: “Is that something that you were aware of?”
She replied: “I cannot comment on that.”
Fabiani then said the question was “not entirely appropriate in relation to what we are doing at this committee under its remit”.
Other MSPs protested at the time, with some calling for legal advice but Fabiani said she had made her decision.
READ MORE: Leslie Evans denies harassment policy was designed to target Alex Salmond
In their letter to the convener, the committee members said: “An understanding of the culture that existed in the organisation and how concerns were dealt with informally before they became subject to formal procedure was essential to our committee’s work.
“At no point did you or any other committee member dissent from that view. As such we were taken aback that you were so vociferous in your opposition to this line of questioning.”
The MSPs say they are not seeking to “examine the substance of allegations that have been tested and acquitted in court, but simply to understand the recollections of those involved in the creation of the procedure and those who were responsible for the day-to-day handling of complaints and concerns (either formally or informally) in the civil service at that time”.
The three say that for the committee to “effectively discharge” their responsibilities they “need to go where the evidence takes us and hear a full account of how complaints or concerns were dealt with both formally and informally before, during and after the establishment of the procedure”.
A parliament spokesman said: “The convener will respond to the letter shortly.”
Nicola Sturgeon has previously said she was not aware of any rule around Salmond and female staff.
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