Swinney speaks out over inquiry papers

John S win neyh as claimed there has been “misrepresentation” over what documents the Scottish Government will hand over to the inquiry into the botched handling of harassment complaints against Alex Salmond.

The deputy first minister stressed it is not planning to release information about the “substance” of the claims about the former first minister.

Instead, the Scottish Government will ask the courts for permission to release documents Mr Swinney says “relate directly to the committee’s remit and to questions asked of us”.

The Committee on the Scottish Government Handling of Harassment Complaints has been embroiled in a longrunning dispute over the release of evidence.

In a letter to convener Linda Fa bi a ni, Mr Swinney takes umbrage with the suggestion the Scottish Government would release documents with details of the allegations.

The MSP for Perthshire North said there have been “misrepresentations of some of the Scottish Government’s actions contained in some of the submissions made to your committee”.

Mr Swinney wrote: “The committee has made it clear it does not wish to receive such information – a position we have understood since the outset and agree with, not least because releasing that information would risk identification of the individuals who made complaints.”

He claimed the Scottish Government has “no choice” but to ask the Court of Session for permission to hand over certain documents to the committee because of an objection from an individual – believed to be Mr Salmond.