Holyrood committees reject joint inquiry with Scottish Affairs over SNP fund scandal
Three Scottish Parliament committees declined the Scottish Affairs Committee's invitation to collaborate on scrutiny of the Peter Murrell embezzlement case.
In July, the Scottish Affairs Committee, led by Patricia Ferguson, proposed joint parliamentary scrutiny with three other Holyrood committees concerning the Peter Murrell embezzlement investigation and related Operation Branchform matters. The Finance Committee, chaired by Clare Haughey, rejected the proposal, noting the SNP has not received opposition-style public funds in Scotland. Public Audit Committee convener Neil Bibby also declined, explaining that the Auditor General for Scotland concentrates on public money expenditure, not party financing.
The Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee, under Jenni Minto, said the issues were not clearly within its remit or priorities, though it may consider electoral law evidence in the future. All three committees therefore refused to collaborate on the suggested joint work.
