A TORY MSP has formally asked the Scottish Government to provide further details of discussions between Nicola Sturgeon and her top civil servant over an “incident” at Edinburgh Airport – after an inquiry into harassment complaints against Alex Salmond revealed the two had talked about the matter months before he was formally investigated.
During the first evidence session by the Holyrood committee investigating the botched handling of complaints against Mr Salmond, the Scottish Government’s Permanent Secretary Leslie Evans revealed she raised the issue directly with the First Minister in November 2017.
It was not until January 2018, two months after the conversation between Ms Evans and Ms Sturgeon, that a formal investigation into Mr Salmond about other allegations from civil servants was launched.
Ms Sturgeon later told MSPs that it was not until April 2018 that she was informed an investigation was underway, but Ms Evans’s evidence suggests the First Minister may have had a fuller picture of allegations about Mr Salmond earlier than she has previously admitted.
Conservative MSP, Murdo Fraser, has now lodged an urgent question to the Scottish Government, asking whether it will provide “further details of discussions in November 2017 between Leslie Evans and Nicola Sturgeon regarding an alleged incident at Edinburgh Airport involving Alex Salmond.”
READ MORE: Salmond inquiry: Sturgeon told of concerns about Salmond's behaviour almost three years ago
At the evidence session on Tuesday, Mr Fraser had one of his questions to Ms Evans blocked by the convener of the committee investigating the botched handling of complaints, Linda Fabiani.
Mr Fraser asked Ms Evans whether female civil servants had ever been advised not to be alone with Mr Salmond.
This was a disputed claim made during Mr Salmond’s separate criminal trial this year, at which he was acquitted of 13 counts of sexual assault.
Ms Evans replied to the question by saying “I can't comment on that”.
Ms Fabiani then intervened, saying that she was “not sure that that is entirely appropriate to what we are doing at this committee under its remit”.
Lib Dem MSP Alex Cole-Hamilton, raising a point of order, argued that the “question is pertinent”.
He added: “This committee is charged with looking at the government’s handling of harassment complaints – that does not just mean the application of hard and fast procedures, it also concerns the application of informal steps that were taken to protect complainers.
“If what Mr Fraser is asking about happened, that is something that this committee absolutely needs to know about.”
But Ms Fabiani stressed that she had decided not to allow the line of questioning.
READ MORE: Salmond Inquiry: Leslie Evans apologises for 'procedural failure' in complaints investigation
Writing in the Scotsman, Mr Fraser said Ms Evans’ “refusal to deny such a policy existed speaks volumes”.
He added: “If Leslie Evans won’t tell us what happened in the office of the former First Minister, then surely his loyal deputy, and successor in office, Nicola Sturgeon, has to come clean and give us the facts.
“Is it conceivable that she could have been unaware of such advice to civil servants, and if she was aware, why was it covered up?”
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