On a point of order, Presiding Officer. During the statement by Derek Mackay, the Minister for Transport and Islands, on the Forth road bridge yesterday, in response to a question from Alex Johnstone about cancellation of planned maintenance works, Mr Mackay stated that work that would have been covered by the cancelled maintenance contract was not where the fault on the bridge occurred. However, in an interview on the BBC’s “Good Morning Scotland” this morning, Mr Mackay said that work planned under the maintenance contract cancelled in 2010 would have covered the area where the fault occurred on the bridge. Clearly, those statements are contradictory, which is a serious matter.
It would appear that Mr Mackay has misled Parliament, and I therefore ask that Mr Mackay return to Parliament before close of business this evening to correct the record and to give an open and transparent explanation of the impact of the cancellation of the planned maintenance works on the Forth road bridge.
Clearly, Mr Mackay’s statements are a matter for Mr Mackay, and only for him, so—as you will know, Mr Kelly—that is not a point of order. Nonetheless, you have made your point.
On a point of order, Presiding Officer. I seek your guidance as to the remedies available to the Parliament to hold Government ministers to account for statements that they make in Parliament that are then contradicted by statements outside this place. There must be some mechanism that allows us to do that.
I will reflect on what you have said, Ms Ferguson, and will respond to you later today.
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Portfolio Question Time