No punishment for MSP’S ‘minor breach’ of Code of Conduct
Labour MSP Sarah Boy a ck breached Holy rood’ s Code of Conduct when she failed to declare earnings from her previous job.
But the Scottish Par li amen t’ s Standards Committee has decided not to impose any punishment for what it described as a“minor and inadvertent breach” of the rules. Ms Boyack returned for a second stint as an MSP after former Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale left the Scottish Parliament. Ms Dugdale had been a list MSP for the Lothian region and Ms Boyack, who had previously served as an MSP between 1999 and 2016, took her place as the next person on the party’s list.
Following her return, a complaint was made that she did not include remuneration from her previous employ - men ta st he head of public affairs at the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations in her register of interests.
Ms Boy a ck updated her register of interests when informed about the matter by the Commissioner for Ethical Standards in Public Life in Scotland, Caroline Anderson.
MSPS on the standards, procedures and public appointments committee agreed with the commissioner that it was a breach of Holyrood’s Code of Conduct and of the Members Interest Act 2006.
But they said a second complaint was not a breach.
Standards committee convener Bill Kidd said :“The complaint against Sarah Boyack was not related to a matter from which she could have gained any financial benefit and there was no attempt to conceal the information.”