A Holyrood inquiry into the Government’s botched Alex Salmond probe has told a top civil servant she will be invited to give evidence next month.
Leslie Evans, who Salmond personally singled out for criticism in the debacle, has also been asked about communications between herself and Nicola Sturgeon.
Two years ago, Sturgeon’s government investigated allegations of sexual misconduct against Salmond when he was First Minister.
Salmond challenged the Government in court and a judge ruled the internal Government probe had been tainted by bias and was unlawful.
A special committee of MSPs was established to examine a fiasco which cost over £500,000 of public money.
A key issue under consideration is the contact between Sturgeon and Salmond when the government investigation was ongoing.
After criticism by opposition MSPs, Sturgeon self-referred herself to independent examiners to determine whether she had breached the Ministerial code.
Committee convener Linda Fabiani MSP has written to Evans, the Permanent Secretary.
She wrote: “The Committee seeks to establish who knew what and at what point, and to consider the nature of the meetings between the First Minister and Alex Salmond.”
She added: “The Committee therefore asks to receive the communication between you and the First Minister during the period of events which led to the First Minister’s self referral together with any communication you may have been copied into or are aware of having taken place in this context.”
Fabiani also wrote that the development of the policy under which Salmond was investigated is being looked at by the committee:
“I am therefore taking this opportunity to provide you with advance notice of the Committee’s plans to invite you and the appropriate supporting officials to give oral evidence on this in the week beginning 17 August."
After his successful court action, Salmond said Evans should consider her position.
He also said: “Leslie Evans, the Permanent Secretary, has wasted huge amounts of public money in an incompetent attempt to enforce an unlawful process.”
The Committee’s letter came after MSPs requested written evidence from ten individuals, including Salmond, Sturgeon and her husband Peter Murrell, who is SNP chief executive.
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “We welcome the opportunity which the parliamentary inquiry will bring to address issues which have been raised, and we will not pre-empt that process.”
