Police Scotland (Professor Sam Eljamel)

First Minister’s Question Time – in the Scottish Parliament am 5:08 pm ar 31 Hydref 2024.

Danfonwch hysbysiad imi am ddadleuon fel hyn

Photo of Elizabeth Smith Elizabeth Smith Ceidwadwyr 5:08, 31 Hydref 2024

To ask the First Minister what engagement the Scottish Government has had with Police Scotland officials who are responsible for investigating whether the actions of Professor Eljamel amounted to criminal conduct. (S6F-03468)

Photo of John Swinney John Swinney Scottish National Party

The investigation of any crime is an independent matter for Police Scotland, and the Scottish Government has no involvement in such matters. Scottish Government officials met Police Scotland in June this year to discuss the establishment of the public inquiry and other developing work, and they had further engagement with Police Scotland in September.

Photo of Elizabeth Smith Elizabeth Smith Ceidwadwyr

In his letter to me, Willie Rennie and Michael Marra on 17 October, the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care rightly referred to the independent status of any Police Scotland investigation, and we respect that.

However, in November 2022, Police Scotland detectives appealed to Scottish Government health officials for help, and that was four years after the first complaints were made to police. Officials made a plea for support to Craig White, a senior health director, who, as the Parliament knows, was later assigned to help set up the public inquiry into the Eljamel scandal. Mr White replied to the Scottish Government officials that he would be happy to help investigating detectives. As a matter of public interest, and based on what the First Minister has just said in his first response, can he tell me the exact basis on which that advice was sought?

Photo of John Swinney John Swinney Scottish National Party

I might need to have further exchanges with Liz Smith to understand exactly the point that she wishes me to address.

Police Scotland must properly and independently conduct a police investigation, and Liz Smith accepts that point. Whatever information Police Scotland wishes to obtain from the Scottish Government, I expect Scottish Government officials and ministers to engage fully and substantively with Police Scotland on that question. If there are any concerns about that, I will happily address them, but my expectation is for the Government to engage in addressing any request for information or assistance from Police Scotland in order to support its independent investigation.

Photo of Willie Rennie Willie Rennie Democratiaid Rhyddfrydol

The First Minister will understand the deep anxieties that are felt by Professor Eljamel’s ex-patients, especially as some of his constituents are in that position. There is deep anxiety among them about the circumstances with the police asking for help from Craig White. Will the First Minister explore what can possibly be done to restore the confidence of those ex-patients in the process and to ensure that they see that the process is above board?

Photo of John Swinney John Swinney Scottish National Party

Willie Rennie is familiar with the fact that I, too, have constituents who are affected by the issue. I engage with them in my constituency capacity.

On the question of engagement with Police Scotland, what I said to Liz Smith was an attempt to be helpful in that respect. I would expect the Government to provide Police Scotland with whatever information it is looking for in relation to its inquiries. If there are deeper anxieties, I am happy to meet Willie Rennie, Liz Smith and any other members who wish for me to intervene on the question. I am happy to do so if there are any outstanding issues following my answers today.