Ministers spent £6m in court cases
High profile cases brought against the Scottish government including challenges to the minimum pricing of alcohol and the named persons scheme cost almost £6m to fight, new figures reveal.
Included in the total is more than £1m spent by the Scottish Government challenging legal action by three men involved in the administration and subsequent takeover of Rangers FC.
The judicial review brought by Alex Salmond around the handling of harassment complaints against him is the second most expensive legal action defended by the Scottish government in the last five financial years, costing around £630,000.
The figures, revealed following a freedom of information request by The Scotsman, cover the most costly and high profile court cases brought against the government prior to the election.
Legal fees, advice from lawyers and any payment of costs awarded against the Scottish government which total more than a minimum figure of £50,000 per case are included in the £5.8m overall figure.
The sums were described as “eye-watering” by Scottish Labour, with the Scottish Conservativeslabellingita“colossal wasting of taxpayers’ money”.
Scottish Labour’s justice spokespersonpaulinemcneill said: “The number of cases being brought against the Scottish government and the huge sums being awarded against it are extremely worrying. The government has a right to defend itself but the vast sums incurred are nothing short of eye-watering.
“At a time when public finances are tight it is particularly egregious that failures from government are resulting in millions of pounds being lost.”
The highest single cost of £825,949 is linked to legal claims made by tenant farmers that they should have been paid compensation following a change to the law around the Agricultural Holdings (Scotland) Act 2003.
The case eventually ended in the Supreme Court, with the Scottish government winning its defence.
In total, the legal fight had cost at least £975,000 when other court cases are included.
Challenges to the named persons scheme (£482,000), minimum alcohol pricing (£494,000), the construction of the Menie Links windfarm challenged by Trump International Golf Club (£363,000) were among the most costly actions defended.
An analysis of the listed cases show that around two thirds would be considered victories forthescottishgovernmentor decisions in favour of the Lord Advocate.
However, Scottish Conservative MSP Murdo Fraser said it wasaindicationofthesnp“continuingtoploughonregardless” in “indefensible” cases. He said: “These astonishing figures lay bare the SNP government’s colossal wasting of taxpayers’ money when trying to defend their positions in court.
“They knew that their case against Alex Salmond was doomed and the Crown also continued to maliciously pursue innocent men in relation to Rangers administration.
“It shouldn’t have taken an FOI to highlight this.”
The Scottish government was contacted for comment.