MICHAEL Gove is “disrespecting” the Scottish Parliament by continually failing to face questioning from MSPs.
The senior Tory minister, responsible for the government’s “levelling up” agenda, has repeatedly dodged a grilling from parliamentarians on the replacement of vital EU funds after Brexit.
Now he has attempted to push back another appearance before the Holyrood Finance Committee.
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In a letter to convenor Kenneth Gibson, Gove said that due to “significant diary pressures” he was unable to make an arranged appearance on February 23 and asked for the session to be pushed back a day to accommodate him.
SNP MSP Gibson first wrote to Gove on October 15, 2021, asking him to face questions on how the UK Government intends to replace EU structural funds in Scotland.
After failing to meet the committee in the last three months of 2021, the committee “expressed its disappointment” he had continually failed to commit to a date.
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Gibson said the minister had only agreed to the February appearance – after “endless pressing and changes to dates” – on Wednesday.
The following day, Gove wrote to the committee explaining he would not be able to attend and asked for the meeting to be rescheduled.
He added: “However, I would be delighted to appear before the Committee on Thursday, February 24 at 1.30 pm for 90 minutes.”
Gibson claimed the Wednesday meeting was already making a significant accommodation for the minister and said he had had to seek special permission to hold the session at the specified time because it conflicted with other important business.
He told The National: “It is certainly not ideal and frankly, I believe it shows a disrespect for the Scottish Parliament.
"However, given the importance of the subject matter, it is important that this evidence session takes place.”
EU structural funds resulted in Scotland being allocated €944 million between 2014 to 2020.
The money was intended to reduce economic inequality and the UK Government has pledged to “at least” match the EU cash – which its “levelling up” fund is intended to do.
The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities was approached for comment.
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