Conflict of interest rap for millionaire MSP
A MILLIONAIRE Tory MSP is being punished at Holyrood in a conflict of interest row.
The Record revealed in August last year how Alexander Burnett used his parliamentary position to lodge questions about a rival property developer.
He asked five questions, in writing, about the planning process for a development in his Aberdeenshire West constituency. But he didn’t declare he is a shareholder of developers the Bancon Group, who had interests in the Banchory area.
The link is in his register of interest at Holyrood but the rules state MSPs must make it clear when a potential conflict comes up.
Yesterday, Holyrood’s standards committee recommended that Burnett should be banned from lodging questions for two weeks.
It’s the second time this month he has been rapped for failing to disclose relevant details from his register of interests. He was let off with a warning for asking questions about business rates rises without declaring he owned firms also facing higher bills.
Burnett said: “I have made a full and open declaration of my business interests, in accordance with parliamentary rules.
“My judgment at the time was that there was no conflict of interest as I was acting on behalf of several hundred concerned constituents.
“However, I accept the decision of the committee.”