THE new boss of Scottish Rail Holdings has dismissed his predecessor's concerns about government ministers micromanaging their work.
Earlier this month, the Conservatives accused Jenny Gilruth of breaching the ministerial code by delaying rail works in order to benefit her constituents while she was transport minister.
They linked her demand to the resignation of Chris Gibb, who quit as CEO of Scottish Rail Holdings.
READ MORE: Tories demand Jenny Gilruth's messages released amid code breach probe
Reports at the time suggested he was leaving because of ministerial interference. One source told The Scotsman last November he had handed in his notice because of “being micro-managed by the transport minister and Transport Scotland.”
His contract was due to expire at the end of March, but he left on December 29, with the private company saying he was taking three months outstanding annual leave, despite only being CEO for a year.
Appearing before MSPs, Labour’s Monica Lennon asked Acting Chief Executive David Lowrie about Mr Gibb’s comments on ministerial micromanagement, and whether that was something he recognised.
“I obviously can't talk for Chris personally. In terms of his leaving, he had a fixed term contract. And he was employed by Scottish Rail Holdings for the entire originally expected period of that contract.
“So it was always anticipated, in that sense, contractually that he would leave when he did.
“In terms of those phrases, I've heard those phrases since he left. Before I knew he was going, I didn't hear, I had no conversations with him on that sort of stuff in terms of worries, and I just do not recall a conversation before he announced he was going.”
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Mr Lowrie said he had no concerns about micromanagement, and that the relationships between ScotRail, Scottish Rail Holdings and the Scottish Government had “all worked very well.”
Asked if there was ever any overreach, he said: “I think government funds us substantially and it's quite entitled to make requests from time to time.
“Because it sets policies it wants to implement this or implement that, whatever.
“We have plenty of requests, plenty of discussions with government officials. That’s the extent of it.”
Asked if he had any concerns or if had ever witnessed micromanagement by ministers, he replied: “I think the actions of ministers are probably a question for the government rather than ourselves as the actual operators and managers of the business.”
Humza Yousaf rejected Tory calls to probe Ms Gilruth over a possible breach.
The party had claimed she gave "preferential treatment to her constituents" by asking for the rail upgrade between Edinburgh Haymarket and Dalmeny to be delayed.
The Tories say that officials told the Scottish Government this would lead to an extra £1m in cost and cause disruption to 9,000 passengers a day, as it would now need to take place outside of holidays.
The work has still not been carried out.
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