Aberdeenshire West MSP Alexander Burnett has been admonished for failing to declare business interests in parliamentary questions.
Holyrood’s standards committee, which includes two Tory colleagues – Jamie Halcro Johnston and Alexander Stewart – unanimously found against the Scottish Conservative after investigating a complaint.
Committee convener Clare Adamson said the group had investigated a complaint from Councillor David Aitchison that Mr Burnett did not declare his interests when submitting Written Parliamentary Questions.
She said: “The Committee is unanimous in the decisions reached on the complaint.
“First, it agrees with the findings in fact and conclusion of the Commissioner.
“Second, it admonishes Alexander Burnett for his failure to make a declaration of a registered financial interest when giving notice of two Parliamentary Questions.”
Ms Adamson said the committee did not think the breach justified the imposition of sanctions “on this occasion”.
She added: “The committee believes the declaration of registered interests in any matter before taking part in proceedings of the Parliament relating to that matter represents an important aspect of parliamentary transparency and accountability.
“The committee issued a reminder to all members of their responsibilities to declare relevant interests in March this year. The breach for which Alexander Burnett has been found responsible occurred before this and the committee is minded therefore to be lenient on this occasion.
“However, the committee will consider the full range of sanctions available to it for any future breaches of this nature.”
Full details of the complaint, and the Commissioner’s investigation of it, will be included in a report due to be published later this afternoon.
A Scottish Conservative party spokesman said: “Mr Burnett accepts the findings of the committee. This was an administrative error that will not happen again.”
