Alex Salmond’s accusers may be asked to give evidence to MSPs

MSPs investigating the botched handling of complaints against Alex Salmond are ready to seek evidence from women who made allegations of sexual misconduct against the former first minister.

Members of the committee investigating how the Scottish Government dealt with the initial complaints – a process successfully challenged by Mr Salmond, leading to a £500,000 payout from taxpayers – yesterday said they would like to hear from his accusers. If asked, their evidence would be heard in private by Holyrood’s Committee on the Scottish Government Handling of Harassment Complaints.

Liberal Democrat MSP Alex Cole-Hamilton, a member of the committee, said: “Above everything else, the government procedure failed the people it was designed to serve. It’s vital the committee hear from them, so we can understand the gravity of that failure.”

Conservative MSP and fellow committee member Murdo Fraser said: “It’s vital that this inquiry gives a voice to everyone who the SNP government let down by their clear failures of process.” Scotland’s most senior civil servant, Leslie Evans, told MSPs last week that 10 people raised concerns after the creation of a new harassment policy.

In a subsequent High Court trial in March, Mr Salmond was cleared of sexually assaulting nine women during his time as Scotland’s first minister.

Giving evidence to the inquiry on Tuesday, Ms Evans denied being “at war” with Mr Salmond.

© Andrew Milligan/PA Wire

After the Scottish Government lost a legal challenge brought by Mr Salmond over its handling of harassment allegations, the permanent secretary sent a text saying: “We may have lost the battle but we will win the war.” She insisted she had not been “referring to any individual” and her text was referring to her ambition of creating a more equal workplace.

Sir Peter Housden, who was the permanent secretary during former SNP leader Mr Salmond’s time as first minister, will appear before the inquiry on Tuesday.

In written evidence, he said he had taken action “where there were individual ministers whose behaviour was a cause for concern” in a “number of settings”.

The Scottish Government said: “Who the committee decides to call to give evidence is not a matter for the Scottish Government but for the committee itself.”