Former Tory leader slapped on wrist for failing to declare £2,200 trip to Israel

The former leader of the Scottish Conservatives failed to declare a £2,200 trip to Israel ahead of a Holyrood meeting discussing teaching resources on Israel and Palestine.

Jackson Carlaw, who is the convener of the citizen participation and public petitions committee, was found by the standards committee to have breached both the code of conduct for MSPs and the Interests of Members of the Scottish Parliament Act 2006.

However, he will face no sanction following the decision, despite it being labelled a “serious matter” by the committee.

Standards convener Martin Whitfield said the finding of a breach was “sanction enough” for Mr Carlaw, who represents Eastwood.

Jackson Carlaw MSP, Convener of the Scottish Parliament’s Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee with 15-year-old male golden eagle, Stanley, at the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh.

The Tory MSP, who led the party between 2019 and 2020, was found to have failed to declare a trip to Israel worth £2,200, and paid for by the Embassy of Israel ahead of consideration of a petition. The petition called for the provision of “an accessible and professionally developed learning and teaching resource on Israel and Palestine”.

Mr Carlaw did declare his convenership of the cross-party group on building bridges with Israel prior to the meeting, but did not declare the financial interest.

During the meeting, he recused himself from the consideration and determination of the petition, cast no vote, and “advised the petitioner in the usual way” of the situation.

This, the committee said, demonstrated Mr Carlaw’s “intent” to “address any perceived conflict of interest”.

In a statement, the standards committee said: “It would therefore appear that Jackson Carlaw MSP did not fully recognise or understand the requirement to declare a relevant financial interest in advance of proceedings relating to that matter.

"The steps taken by Jackson Carlaw MSP did not meet the requirements of the Interests of the Members of the Scottish Parliament Act 2006 and the Code of Conduct for MSPs in relation to the declaration of registrable financial interests.”

They added: “A finding of a breach of the 2006 Act and the Code of Conduct is a serious matter. Acknowledging the efforts made by Jackson Carlaw MSP to act with propriety, the committee is of the view that its agreement with the Commissioner on the finding of a breach is sanction enough.”

Mr Carlaw said afterwards: “I obviously take these matters of propriety seriously. I am grateful for the committee’s understanding and regret any breach having occurred, however inadvertently, and offer my apology.

“Like others, I will reflect carefully on the letter to be sent to all MSPs in respect of any future declarations.”

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