Scottish Government spent £10k on top legal firm to help prepare Covid witnesses

More than £3,000 was associated with supporting Jason Leitch, the national clinical director

Jason Leitch

The Scottish Government spent more than £10,000 on services provided by an outside legal firm to help prepare witnesses ahead of their appearance at the UK Covid Inquiry.

Figures show the largest amount, £3,234, was associated with Jason Leitch, the national clinical director, who is stepping down at the end of this month.

The Conservatives said the “eye-watering” cost raised serious questions about the SNP’s “culture of cover-up”.

But the Government said it had “a responsibility to offer appropriate support”.

A freedom of information request by the Tories found £10,532 was invoiced by the legal firm Morton Fraser MacRoberts in relation to five witnesses.

As well as Professor Leitch, £2,700 was spent assisting Sir Gregor Smith, the chief medical officer; £2,500 on Jeane Freeman, the former health secretary; £1,180 on Ken Thomson, a retired senior civil servant; and £918 on Dr Audrey MacDougall, the Government’s chief social researcher.

The Government said the Faculty of Advocates’ guide to conduct “makes clear that witnesses should not be coached in relation to any evidence they give”.

However, it added: “The prohibition does not extend to matters such as providing guidance about what a witness can expect while giving evidence, explaining what a public inquiry is and how it will be run and discussion of issues likely to arise in evidence to allow witnesses to give full and accurate evidence without influencing the content of their evidence.”

Scottish Tory chairman Craig Hoy said: “Leaving aside the justification for the public being billed £10,000 for legal advice when the Scottish Government has its own in-house legal department, this raises serious questions over the SNP’s culture of cover-up.

“Coupled with the shameful, orchestrated mass deletion of WhatsApp messages – which some of those officials joked about – this revelation begs the question about what they were trying to hide?”

A Scottish Government spokesman said: “In common with other public inquiries, the UK Government and other devolved administrations, the Scottish Government has a responsibility to offer appropriate support to those asked to present evidence to the UK Covid-19 Inquiry in relation to their role in the Scottish Government’s response to the pandemic.”