Alex Salmond inquiry set to examine individual roles of civil servants in early sessions

The committee is also unhappy with the lack of evidence submitted from the Scottish Government.

The inquiry into the handling of harassment complaints against Alex Salmond will start taking evidence next week.

Senior civil servants will be questioned individually by the inquiry which is examining how the Scottish Government handled harassment complaints against former First Minister Alex Salmond, it has said.

Committee convener Linda Fabiani also indicated the committee’s frustration with the lack of evidence including written submissions from civil servants which the inquiry had asked for by August 7.

In a letter to the permanent secretary to the Scottish Government, Leslie Evans, the inquiry rejected the suggestion for Ms Evans to be joined by James Hynd, head of cabinet, parliament and governance division, and Nicola Richards, people director when she gives evidence next week.

Instead, civil servants will be asked to give individual evidence one after another, with Mr Hynd and Ms Richards to give evidence individually at the second meeting on August 25.

The letter also states that the committee will ask civil servants for evidence on an individual basis on how “their actions contributed to delivery of a particular policy, in this instance the development and use of the complaints procedure.”

It continues: “The Committee requires a factual account of individual actions, in person and in writing, and will proceed on that basis. This is separate to the points you have made in previous correspondence on the ability of Parliament to take evidence from officials on their personal perspectives.”

Ms Fabiani MSP also indicates the committee’s frustration with the Scottish Government over the lack of written evidence and a timeline of events, both of which were expected to be received by August 7.

She said that the lack of evidence has forced the committee to examine closely the “roles of individual civil servants in detail”, meaning the committee will “take oral evidence from you [Ms Evans] and senior civil servants individually rather than on the same panel”.

The committee have asked the Scottish Government to produce the timeline by August 18 and individual written submissions by August 25.

The letter from the committee also suggests the permanent secretary will be questioned on the government’s failings to provide evidence and its decision to refuse to release legal evidence.

It states: “In response to your questions about broad areas of questioning, the papers for the meeting will be published on Thursday 13 August.

"In addition to covering the development of the complaints procedure, the Committee may raise the nature of the evidence provided by the Government so far with you, so please feel free to cover any points you wish to raise in this regard in your opening statement.”

Last week, the Scottish Government told the inquiry that it will not hand over key legal evidence relating to the successful court action brought by Alex Salmond which cost the taxpayer £500,000 in expenses.

The committee responded by expressing its “frustration and disappointment” at the decision and said it was “particularly concerned” about the limited justification for the refusal, which was based on invoking legal privilege.

The inquiry will take evidence from the permanent secretary to the Scottish Government, Leslie Evans, at its next meeting on August 18.

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