Evidence from Alex Salmond to be published by Holyrood
The Scottish Parliament’s Corporate Body (SPCB) has overturned the decision by the harassment complaints committee to block publication of Alex Salmond’s submission to the inquiry on the ministerial code after it "collectively agreed” it could be published.
The decision paves the way for the former first minister to give evidence in front of the committee on Wednesday .
It comes after weeks of back-and-forth between the Salmond inquiry, Mr Salmond’s lawyers, and a court hearing brought by The Spectator around the legality of publishing the document.
The decision was referred to the Scottish Parliament’s Corporate Body by the harassment complaints committee yesterday following a second vote blocking its publication.
Mr Salmond’s evidence had been blocked from being published due to legal concerns linked to a court order from Mr Salmond’s criminal trial.
But Holyrood’s corporate body decided on Thursday that “on balance” it is possible to publish the submission.
In a letter from Presiding Officer Ken Macintosh to the harassment committee’s convener Linda Fabiani, the decision was confirmed.
Mr Macintosh said: “Thank you for your letter and for asking the Corporate Body whether or not it considers that the submission provided by Mr Salmond to your committee can be published in light of the legal obligations to which the Parliament is subject.
"As you might imagine, the Corporate Body takes these legal obligations very seriously and has given careful consideration to your request.
“Following two meetings of the SPCB today, at which a range of opinions were aired, the SPCB collectively agreed that on balance it is possible to publish the submission by Alex Salmond on the ministerial code.
“The Corporate Body has considered the key elements of the matter you placed before it, but is mindful that this decision in principle to publish must now be followed by the processing of the submission in line with the committee’s evidence handling statement."
Responding, a spokesperson for the harassment
complaints committee said the body would now “begin processing” Mr Salmond’s “revised submission”, which was sent to the committee on Wednesday.
The spokesperson said: “The committee notes the decision of the SPCB. Mr Salmond’s submission will now be processed in line with the committee’s
statement on the handling of information, ahead of publication early next week. The committee will be writing to Mr Salmond to invite him to give evidence to the Committee on Wednesday, February 24.”
In the submission, Mr Salmond accuses Nicola Sturgeon of lying and misleading Holyrood, calling her evidence
to the inquiry into sexual harassment claims made against him “simply untrue” and "untenable".
Ms Sturgeon has repeatedly denied that she misled Parliament and has claimed she did not breach the ministerial code.