Scott Macnab: SNP domination of Holyrood committees could put paid to proper scrutiny of the Scottish Government

When Alex Salmond was dragged before two Holyrood committees to explain himself a few years ago, it was more than just great political knockabout. Parliament was asserting its authority over the government of the day.

The First Minister was "cavalier" and displayed "exceptionally poor judgment" over his role in the Donald Trump affair, a report by Holyrood's local government committee found after he gave evidence. He was also accused of "failing" small firms left out of pocket by Gathering organisers during a stormy appearance at the public audit committee.

But are these public grillings a thing of the past for Mr Salmond, given his iron grip at Holyrood? The bite of once influential committees may be muzzled in the current parliament, opposition MSPs fear, under Nationalist domination.

The committees have been an important avenue of scrutiny and accountability under devolution.

The departure of Linda Fabiani as culture minister a few years back was hastened after committee criticism of legislation aimed at establishing the new national arts body, Creative Scotland, saw the Bill being voted down in parliament.

But the SNP now has an unprecedented majority on all committees. It means the party can control which inquiries are held, along with their remit and scope, as well as – crucially – the findings of their reports.

Of course, this is a consequence of the SNP's landslide election victory. It is what Scots voted for and SNP committee conveners have pledged they won't give the government an easy ride.

But there are worrying omens. Many at Holyrood still feel former Labour minister Wendy Alexander was the victim of a politically motivated campaign in the last parliament over a standards committee inquiry into the donations row which accompanied her party leadership campaign.

The committee – convened by current transport minister Keith Brown – ordered her suspension from parliament. This was later overruled by the full parliament, but the committee's ongoing deliberations prompted Ms Alexander to quit. The committee membership was overhauled soon afterwards.

Former Liberal Democrat whip Mike Rumbles also stormed out of a rural affairs committee meeting a few years ago when he was stopped from quizzing Sepa officials about a planning wrangle involving the Aviemore resort owned by SNP donor Donald Macdonald. The committee chair who silenced Mr Rumbles was the current environment minister, Roseanna Cunningham.

In fairness, the jury remains out and the ball is firmly in the court of all those new SNP committee members and conveners. Are they prepared to challenge and even defy their own colleagues in the most powerful Scottish Government since devolution?

If the committees were to be stunted, then Scottish public life would surely be diminished.