A SCOTTISH Government minister faces claims he "has questions to answer" after passing to the police the details of constituents who have called for an inquiry into the force.
Health minister Alex Neil is accused of potential breaches of the MSPs' code of conduct after he forwarded emails from constituents to Police Scotland calling for a political investigation into the handling of an unauthorised procession by Celtic "ultras" the Green Brigade against new football laws.
As a result, at least five of those who have written to Mr Neil on a template email calling for his support "for an inquiry into the police action at the this event", have been visited or contacted by officers.
Mr Neil, the SNP MSP for Airdrie and Shotts, said it was normal practice to forward complaints about public agencies to the body in question to establish what they are doing about it. He also said none of the constituents who contacted him asked for their details not to be passed to the police.
However, a leading lawyer, a Celtic fans' group and rival politicians working with supporters opposing the Offensive Behaviour at Football legislation claim Mr Neil may have breached the code of conduct for MSPs, which states that "in representing constituents' interests, members have a duty to respect individual privacy". The Celtic Trust said it is meeting on Monday over potential complaints to both the Presiding Officer at the Scottish Parliament and the SNP.
In his email to the police, Mr Neil said: "Please find attached an email I have received regarding the policing at Saturday's demonstration, which is self-explanatory. In the first instance I am writing to you to ask if the police will be carrying out a review of what happened."
Last night, he said: "There's no breach of the code. My normal practice for 14 years has been when someone approaches me with a complaint about a public body is to forward that complaint and ask what they are doing about it. At no time did anyone say 'I don't want my name used'. Those who've approached me subsequently are satisfied with the explanation I've now given."
But advocate Owen Mullan said it was clear the email was not a complaint from someone who was on the receiving end of treatment from the police or even at the event and should not have been treated as such.
The Celtic Trust said: "None of the people who have contacted us indicated any degree of satisfaction or happiness with Mr Neil's explanation."
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