Stevenson sidelined after his disastrous week, claim critics

STEWART Stevenson's absence from from a key Scottish Government meeting to prepare for the next bout of cold weather has led to claims that Alex Salmond has sidelined his embattled Transport Minister.

Mr Stevenson did not attend yesterday's sub-Cabinet committee meeting on Scottish Government Resilience (SGOR) called to deal with problems caused by the current thaw and the freeze expected towards the end of next week.

The First Minister led the meeting, which was also attended by Brigadier George Lowder, the Commander of the Army in Scotland, and David Strang, Chief Constable of Lothian and Borders.

Afterwards Mr Salmond hosted a press conference with them at which he gave advice on how to cope with the thaw and what measures are being put in place to be ready when the mercury falls again towards the end of next week.

When asked why Mr Stevenson did not take part in the meeting, Mr Salmond said his Transport Minister had important constituency business that involved protecting jobs in his Banff and Buchan seat.

Mr Salmond would not disclose the precise nature of the constituency business but said that Mr Stevenson had attended the vast majority of the resilience meetings that the Government had held during the winter crisis.

The Scottish Government later said that he had been at 14 of the 17 meetings held since 24 November and added that he would be attending the meeting scheduled for today.

That explanation failed to satisfy opposition parties, who have been discussing the possibility of tabling a no confidence motion in the minister on Thursday next week.

Mr Stevenson has been heavily criticised for failing to react to a Met Office flash snow warning put out nine hours before the Central Belt and the M8 were hit by a severe blizzard that resulted in hundreds of motorists becoming stranded on the motorway between Glasgow and Edinburgh.

Last night Iain Gray, the Labour leader, said: "It is quite clear that Stewart Stevenson has been sidelined since last Tuesday. Scotland has lost confidence in him and it would appear that his colleagues have as well.

"Alex Salmond was posted missing last week during the crisis, only appearing to launch his Christmas card last Monday.

"But now he is having to step in, because Stewart Stevenson has proved to be so incompetent as further revelations reveal he had ignored a report he had commissioned himself."

The Tory leader Annabel Goldie said: "On Thursday he sat in the chamber during a debate when he should have been at his desk sorting out the travel chaos. And now we learn that today he wasn't at the resilience committee. Has the First Minister now lost faith in him as well?"

The Liberal Democrat transport spokeswoman Alison McInnes said: "The Transport Minister has lurched from one disaster to another this week. Not attending today's resilience meeting to discuss plans to keep the country moving while we're on the brink of another cold snap, indicates that he's being sidelined.

"The Transport Minister is on thin ice."

Last night the controversy over the Government's handing of the winter snowfall escalated when lawyers took issue with a First Ministerial plea made to encourage people to clear pavements outside their houses during the thaw.

In an attempt to get the country moving again, Mr Salmond responded to suggestions doing the rounds on the internet that good samaritans could find themselves at the wrong end of legal action if someone was injured after slipping on a pavement that they had cleared.

Mr Salmond said: "There is no truth whatsoever that there is a risk of being sued if you clear the pavement outside your house. It is a public duty to do that and to help neighbours that can't do that."

However, Patrick Maguire, a personal injury specialist with Thompsons Solicitors, said that the law was not that straight- forward.

Mr Maguire said: "If you are clearing a pavement and it turns icy and you have not put down salt when ice crystals are clearly forming, then there is the possibility that liability can be proved.

"Mr Salmond is making a blanket political point, which is what he does best. He likes a soundbite. But the law is more complex than the soundbite suggests."

Mr Salmond also defended himself against opposition claims that the Government had failed to implement the findings on a review of winter planning published four months ago.

The report said consideration should be given to "requiring lorries to park in lay-bys when snow arrives to reduce the risk of either losing traction or jack-knifing and coming to a halt, causing traffic delays".

It also said roads could be closed before they become impassable "in order to clear it and treat it".

The Scottish Government has said that police chiefs are responsible for road closures and long-term changes to legislation would take time. Mr Salmond said all main recommendations had been adopted and said work was also undertaken on long-term suggestions.