New rules... just 2 hours after claims came out

NEW rules for dealing with sexual harassment complaints against former ministers were published just two hours after allegations about Alex Salmond’s conduct were revealed. The Scottish Government unveiled the guidance about complaints regarding both current and former ministers at 11.50pm on Thursday.

The set of internal rules, written by Permanent Secretary Leslie Evans, was posted online on the Scottish Government website two hours after it was confirmed that two complaints were made about the former First Minister.

It details the ‘internal procedure’ for dealing with the complaints, which was agreed in December and previously only released on the Government’s internal website.

In relation to former ministers, the guidance is that a senior civil servant will be appointed as investigating officer. They will then collect facts from the member of staff and any witnesses and prepare a report for the Permanent Secretary, who then makes the decision of whether the report gives ‘cause for concern’.

The former minister will have an opportunity to respond with their version of events and can request that statements are taken from other witnesses.

The report will then be updated with the additional statements and resubmitted. It will then be up to the Permanent Secretary to decide if the complaint is ‘well-founded’ and whether ‘further action is required’.

It goes on: ‘For complaints involving a former minister who is a member of the party of the current Administration, the Permanent Secretary will inform the First Minister of the outcome when the investigation is complete.

The document states complaints can be made through senior managers to the Government’s human resources department or via trade union representatives. They must then raise the issue with the Govern- ment’s Director of People, who can then offer support to the individual.

It also stresses that ‘at all times the staff member is free to make a complaint directly to the police’ and pledges that the Government will ‘cooperate fully with any police investigation or criminal proceedings’ but may continue its investigations without waiting for the outcome of the police probe.

The guidance goes on to stress that ‘if at any point it becomes apparent to the SG that criminal behaviour might have occurred the SG may bring the matter directly to the attention of the police’.

‘Member is free to complain to police’