Scottish Justice Secretary Angela Constance is now facing a formal investigation by the independent advisers on the ministerial code, following a controversy over her remarks about grooming gangs.
Allegations of Misleading Parliament
The probe centres on accusations that Ms Constance misled Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) during a Holyrood debate in September. The debate focused on calls for a public inquiry into grooming gangs in Scotland.
Ms Constance insisted during the debate that Professor Alexis Jay, a respected expert on child sexual exploitation, agreed with her position that such an inquiry was unnecessary. However, Professor Jay later clarified that her comments had "nothing to do" with the specific situation in Scotland, contradicting the Justice Secretary's account.
The Path to an Independent Investigation
The team of three independent advisers, who are appointed by the First Minister to advise on the Scottish Government's ministerial code, have notified John Swinney of their wish to investigate. It is understood the advisers chose to initiate this investigation themselves, rather than being directed by Mr Swinney.
This move comes after opposition parties wrote to the advisers requesting a probe. The Scottish Government has stated that the outcome of the investigation "will be published in a timely manner after the case has been decided by the First Minister".
Political Fallout and Survival
The controversy has placed significant pressure on Ms Constance in recent weeks. In response, she revealed last week that she had phoned Professor Jay to offer a "personal and direct apology" and said she would amend the official record of the September debate.
Despite the furore, the Justice Secretary survived a vote of no confidence last week by 57 votes to 67, with one abstention. First Minister John Swinney has publicly backed his minister, stating at First Minister's Questions on Thursday that, having reviewed the material, he was "content there has been no breach of the ministerial code". He said Ms Constance was addressing concerns in a "comprehensive and open way".
Opposition leaders remain unconvinced. Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has described it as a "clear and indefensible breach of the ministerial code", while Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay has questioned why the First Minister continues to stand by his "disgraced Justice Secretary".
