Chamber and committees

The call-in was made underSection 46 of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997. As the council had yet to issue notice ofits decision on the case the application was still live at the time when it wascalled in by the Scottish Government.

We are giving immediateconsideration to the publication of information alongside requests made underFreedom of Information legislation. I will write to advise when this has beenmade available.

As a result of the unusualamount of public interest in the First Minister’s travel to this meeting, the Permanent Secretary has personally considered what use was made of the Government Car Service on this occasion. He has noted that it is commonplace for civilservants, including special advisors, to travel with ministers in governmentcars, in order to assist ministers to use time spent travelling to progressgovernment business; and that it is also common for the minister’s governmentcar to convey such civil servants to their destination, where it is differentfrom the minister’s destination. He is satisfied that the use made of the Government Car Service in this case was consistent with such general practice and was bothappropriate and pragmatic.

As Mr Salmond attended themeeting in his capacity as a constituency MSP, it would be inappropriate forhim to make a statement as First Minister. Mr Salmond has, however, answered questions aboutthis meeting at First Minister’s Question Time on 13 December 2007. The officialreport is available on the Parliament’s website at:http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/index.htm.

Mr Salmond sought advicefrom the Chief Planner and the Head of Planning Decisions Division, in hiscapacity as MSP for Gordon on 29 and 30 November 2007. This confirmed Mr Salmond as constituency MSP was entitled torepresent properly the interests of constituents.

The First Ministermet Mr Mackinnon to discuss the National Planning Framework on 20 November 2007and the Forth Replacement Crossing on 5 December. On 7 December they discussedby telephone the current position with a development proposal for Aviemorewhich had been the subject of enquiries to him from a number of MSPs. Mr Salmondhas only spoken to Mr Mackinnon on the question of the Menie Estate proposal inhis capacity as MSP for Gordon.

The request wasmade in Mr Salmond’s capacity as constituency MSP.

Mr Salmond didnot contact me. On 3 December 2007, the Chief Planner took a call from Mr Salmondin his capacity as constituency MSP. Mr Salmond sought advice from the ChiefPlanner whether it would still be permissible for officials from the ScottishGovernment Planning Directorate to meet representatives from the TrumpOrganization. The Chief Planner confirmed that officials can meet with partiesinvolved in a planning application but only to discuss options and theprocedural implications, not to consider the merits of the case.

It is Scottish Government practiceneither to confirm or deny whether legal advice has been received.

Mr Salmond took part in thismeeting in his capacity as the MSP for Gordon. It is therefore not appropriatefor the Government to answer. I refer the member to the Official Report,column number 4433, on 13 December 2007. The official report is available on the Parliament’s website at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/index.htm.