A FORMER LibDem minister is reportedly under investigation over allegations he verbally “attacked” a Tory MSP and broke lobbying rules.
Tavish Scott, now chief executive of Salmon Scotland who previously served as a minister in the coalition Scottish Government, is facing a formal probe by Holyrood’s Ethical Standards Commissioner.
We previously told how Tory MSP Edward Mountain accused Scott of “verbally attacking” him in his parliamentary office.
Scott was initially accused of breaching lobbying rules in January.
The Sunday Mail reports that Ethical Standards Commissioner Ian Bruce has now written to Scott and Salmon Scotland over the 2023 meeting with Mountain.
The incident occurred after Mountain highlighted figures suggesting tonnes of salmon were being destroyed each year and that “some are dying when they are harvested and they still reach our tables.”
Scott reportedly told Mountain: “The issue and your attitude are top of the agenda for the next board meeting. The board are very unhappy with you and are willing to take action against you, unless you retract your comments in the Parliament.”
It is understood that this meeting was not recorded in the lobbying register.
Dale Vince, renewable energy entrepreneur, is understood to have lodged a complaint over the issue.
Scott, as a former MSP, is entitled to a Holyrood pass, and has denied any wrongdoing. He was the leader of the Scottish LibDems between 2008 and 2011.
A Salmon Scotland spokesperson said: “Salmon Scotland fully complies with the lobbying register.”
Vince, founder of the Green Britain Foundation, said: "This is important. Tavish Scott, former politician and now the face of Scotland's factory-farmed salmon industry, is under investigation for unlawful lobbying.
"That's deeply troubling in itself. But what's worse is the bigger picture it reveals - an industry that believes it can bully its critics into silence.
"MSP Edward Mountain bravely called this out—he spoke publicly about the aggressive and threatening behaviour he faced from Scott, including warnings that the industry was 'very unhappy' with him and 'willing to take action' unless he withdrew his comments in Parliament.
"That's not debate - that's intimidation.
"Attempting to silence elected representatives through pressure and intimidation is an abuse of power, and it undermines our democracy. The Scottish Parliament must be a place for open, honest debate—not a playground for vested interests.
"This investigation must be thorough and unflinching, if wrongdoing is found, there must be real consequences. The days of the salmon industry using its wealth and influence to threaten and silence those who speak the truth must end.
"We need genuine reform in the interests of Scotland's people, its environment, and its democracy."
Scotland’s farmed salmon market is estimated to be worth around £1 billion a year and it supports thousands of jobs.
Mountain revealed Scott’s alleged verbal threats to him during a meeting of the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee in October 2024.
