CULTURE Secretary Angus Robertson is facing allegations of having “misled” MSPs over the ongoing scandals gripping Scotland’s top heritage body.
Robertson appeared before Holyrood’s Culture Committee last Thursday to answer questions on the issues at Historic Environment Scotland – a government body which oversees more than 300 Scottish sites – and came under fire for not attending board meetings during the more than four years he has been Culture Secretary.
Scottish Conservative MSP Stephen Kerr said it was “really odd” that Robertson had not attended any meetings of the HES board, noting that previous culture secretary Fiona Hyslop had “met with the board at least twice, sometimes three times a year and that was without the organisation being in a state of chaos and crisis”.
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Robertson said: “I have not attended a board meeting and I have not been invited to attend a board meeting.”
He later added: “If there is a wish for me to attend the board, I have no objection to doing so.”
Robertson said that his officials had attended all HES board meetings since May 22, 2025, to report back on what had taken place. He also said he had “met with the chairman personally, I have met with the chief executive personally”.
However, The Herald reported over the weekend that former HES chair Dr Hugh Hall had made “around six requests via civil servants to meet directly with Mr Robertson”.
One leaked email sent by Hall and reported by that paper said: "When I met with Shona on 24/7, I reiterated my request for a meeting with the Cabinet Secretary. In the circumstances, it would seem apt for the Cabinet Secretary to meet with the full Board.
“I was asked to put our request to officials and it would be passed on. I would be grateful if you could take this as a formal request."
The Scottish Tories said Robertson had “serious questions to answer”, accusing the SNP minister of misleading MSPs.
Kerr, who has now submitted a topical question on the issue, said: “At committee last week, the Culture Secretary was adamant to both myself and my colleague Jamie Halcro Johnston that he had never been invited to attend a HES board meeting. But a leaked email over the weekend suggests that this was not the case and that repeated requests were made to meet with him.
“Angus Robertson must come before MSPs to explain himself. That’s why I have today submitted a topical question to the presiding officer.
“We already knew that the SNP’s Culture Secretary has been asleep at the wheel while the meltdown at the top of HES unfolded. It’s clear that he ought to have intervened sooner.
“But if he actively ignored invitations to attend board meetings, that is a whole new level of ministerial neglect. It would be an inexcusable dereliction of duty.
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“HES receives around £70 million of taxpayer money every year. Angus Robertson is ultimately responsible for ensuring it’s spent wisely, yet on his watch the organisation is a basket case, with one allegation after another emerging in the press.”
Over the weekend, The Sunday National reported that HES operations director Craig Mearns had taken leave due to “stress” allegedly linked to media scrutiny of his role following revelations that he had admitted to using racist language while acting chief executive of the body.
It was further reported that all HES staff are going to be made to undergo anti-racism training, which staff have described as “adding insult to injury”.
Hall quit as HES chair in September. He was due to stay in post until 2026. He has been replaced by Mark Jones.
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “Following his appointment by the Culture Secretary, Sir Mark Jones’ priorities as chair are to ensure HES has the trust of the public and its partners. The Scottish Government will continue to support him in this endeavour to resolve the leadership and governance issues that have been raised.
“In addition to appointing the new chair, the Culture Secretary and previous culture ministers regularly met with and engaged with senior leaders at Historic Environment Scotland, including the chief executive and previous chair.
“Scottish Government officials continue to attend HES board meetings and are working closely with the organisation to support the new chair.”
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