Investigation into Salmond case is a farce – Lord Forsyth

FORMER Scottish Secretary Lord Forsyth has condemned Holyrood’s Alex Salmond inquiry as a ‘farce’.

He spoke out amid a growing row over the failure of Scotland’s top civil servant to answer a question about the former First Minister’s conduct.

nationalist MSP Linda Fabiani, convener of the Scottish parliament’s inquiry into the internal handling of complaints against Mr Salmond, blocked further questioning of Permanent Secretary Leslie Evans.

MSPs had asked her about allegations that a protocol was in place while Mr Salmond was First Minister which advised women staff not to be left alone with him.

Lord Forsyth said: ‘I was astonished when [Mrs Evans] refused to answer a question about guidance given to staff.

‘When she was pressed by another member, the chairman refused to allow the question to be put.

‘This makes the inquiry a complete farce – one wonders what on earth is going on in terms of ensuring the civil service code of conduct is properly administered.’

The Tory peer’s comments come after nicola Sturgeon refused to order the handing over of key evidence relating to allegations against Mr Salmond. MSPs have threatened to enact rarely used legal powers in a bid to force the Scottish Government to produce information being withheld under claims of ‘legal privilege’.

Mrs Evans was giving evidence to the committee on Tuesday. She refused to reveal if she was aware of a rule banning female civil servants from being alone with Mr Salmond – despite being under oath.

On Thursday, Miss Sturgeon said she had not been aware of such a rule but said MSPs were ‘entitled’ to ask about this.

Committee convener Miss Fabiani has said it had been agreed that the inquiry would not ‘revisit the criminal trial’ of Mr Salmond, who denied and was cleared of 13 sexual assault charges in March.

Responding to Lord Forsyth, a Scottish Government spokesman said: ‘The convener ruled this specific line of questioning should not be pursued and it would therefore be inappropriate for the Permanent Secretary to comment further.

‘[Mrs Evans] will be happy to write to the committee to address this issue if the convener wishes.’