Secrecy deal 'to be scrutinised'

The confidentiality agreement will be scrutinised

A confidentiality agreement between a Labour MSP and a pharmaceutical company could be scrutinised to ensure it does not break the code of conduct for members of the Scottish Parliament.

Holyrood's chief executive Paul Grice is to write to the parliament's Standards Committee in the wake of the row over MSP Margaret Jamieson's visit to American firm Pfizer.

Fears had been expressed that such secrecy deals could be used to lobby MSPs to influence how legislation and decisions are taken.

Mr Grice said he wanted to clarify Holyrood's commitment to openness, but insisted he believed Ms Jamieson had done nothing untoward.

Margaret Jamieson: Confidentiality agreement

Holyrood's presiding officer Sir David Steel also supported her action and insisted Ms Jamieson had "acted in good faith".

Ms Jamieson, deputy convener of the parliament's health committee, sparked anger last week when it emerged she had signed a 10-year confidentiality agreement with Pfizer as part of a fact-finding trip.

The trip was arranged by the Scottish Parliament's Business Exchange Scheme, which was launched last autumn to introduce MSPs to industry.

Sir David said: "It is to be expected that any individual, including MSPs, might have to sign a confidentiality agreement prior to being given high-level access to commercially sensitive information.

Closely scrutinised

"That is not unusual in industry, particularly when it involves research and development."

Mr Grice said the terms of Ms Jamieson's agreement with Pfizer would be closely scrutinised by the Business Exchange, which has a code of conduct expressly forbidding political lobbying.

However, Tricia Marwick, deputy convener of the Holyrood Standards Committee, accused the business exchange of being unaccountable and said the committee should have been consulted at a much earlier stage.

Ms Marwick, Scottish National Party MSP for Mid-Scotland and Fife, said: "The agreement should have been referred to the standards committee before it was signed, not after concern was expressed about it.

"It's like locking the stable door after the horse has bolted.

Private company

"In my view Margaret Jamieson was acting on the advice she was given by the business exchange and the advice she was given was wrong.

"The business exchange scheme was set up by the Presiding Officer and its operation has never been subject to any scrutiny by the standards committee.

"It should be accountable in the same way as the cross-party groups."

Last week, Scottish Socialist MSP Tommy Sheridan said it was "totally unacceptable for an MSP to sign a 10-year confidentiality clause with a private company".

" We are here to serve the people of Scotland, not the multinationals," he said.

But Ms Jamieson, the MSP for Kilmarnock and Loudoun, said her trip would benefit people in her constituency and across Scotland.