A KEY scientific adviser was only consulted on the Scottish Government's GM crops ban after the controversial decision was made, documents released under Freedom of Information have revealed.

Government emails made public yesterday confirmed Professor Louise Heathwaite did not provide any advice to the government on GM crops prior to the announcement in August.

However, she was briefed on the policy hours after Nicola Sturgeon appeared to suggest the academic had played a role in the controversial decision.

Officials emailed the adviser a basic "Q & A on GM crops and GM science" and a list of comments supporting the policy.

The comments included a posting on the Scottish Government's Rural Matters Facebook page which said simply "good," followed by a smiley face emoji.

Murdo Fraser, the Scottish Conservative MSP, said the revelations were “extraordinary” and showed the Scottish Government has “little interest” in scientists’ views.

The Scottish Government insists the GM ban will protect the country's "clean and green brand" around the world but the decision has been heavily criticised by farmers and scientists.

In an open letter to Mr Lochhead, leading research institutions warned the decision would undermine the country's contribution to GM science.

Documents released under Freedom of Information laws show Prof Heathwaite was contacted hours after Ms Sturgeon highlighted her role as chief scientific adviser for rural affairs during First Minister's Questions on September 3.

Ms Sturgeon faced criticism during FMQs for not being able to consult the government's overall chief scientific adviser as the post was vacant at the time of the GM ban.

She told MSPs: "We have a chief scientific adviser for rural affairs, food and the environment in post" but, when pressed, failed to say whether her advice had been sought.

Responding to an FoI request, the Scottish Government released an email sent to Prof Heathwaite later the same afternoon.

It included a four-page briefing explaining the government's "key reason for our policy," large sections of which have been redacted to keep them secret.

The email also included three pages of "recent supportive statement since the announcement".

Among those quoted were Green MSP Alison Johnstone, director of Friends of the Earth Scotland Richard Dixon and Mike Small, a journalist and campaigner who produces a pro-independence website.

Supporters on social media included the Greenwich Green Party which posted "Well done Scotland," on the government's Facebook page.

Asked under FoI laws to provide details of "any advice" given to the government on GM crops by Prof Heathwaite, officials replied: "The Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested".

When Ms Sturgeon faced further questions about the GM, on September 24, she told MSPs Ms Heathwaite "was consulted on the scientific background" to the decision "but that was not our primary factor in reaching a conclusion".

Mr Fraser said: "We always knew the Scottish Government's decision to ban GM crops ran contrary to good scientific advice.

"But it is nonetheless surprising to learn they seem not even to have taken the trouble to ask their chief scientific adviser for food and rural affairs for her opinion on the matter before reaching a decision.

"Again, this indicates that this is a government that has very little interest in hearing what the scientific community has to say when taking significant policy desicions.

"Even more extraordinary are the desperate lengths the Scottish Government appears to have gone to in order to influence their chief scientific officer's view by providing the comments of various non-scientific lobby groups to support their decision.

"It would be insulting both the independence and intelligence of a leading scientist to believe her opinion could be swayed in this way."

A Scottish Government spokesman said allowing the cultivation of GM crops "could have a hugely damaging economic impact" on the country's seed potato industry.

He added: "Changes made by the European Union broke the link between the scientific assessment of the safety of a GM crop and the decision on whether or not it may be cultivated in a certain area or region.

"The decision that the Scottish Government took, therefore, was not one based on scientific considerations but, rather, one which took into account the potential wider economic ramifications that growing GM crops might have for Scotland."