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Tavish Scott, chief executive of Salmon Scotland<\/p>\nSUNDAY MAIL EXCLUSIVE: The former LibDem MSP is under investigation.Tavish Scott, chief executive of Salmon Scotland<\/p>\n
A former government minister<\/a> is under formal parliamentary investigation over claims he broke lobbying rules and verbally \u201cattacked\u201d a Tory MSP.<\/p>\n Ex-Lib Dem leader Tavish Scott<\/a>, who is now CEO of industry body Salmon Scotland, faces a formal probe by Holyrood\u2019s Ethical Standards Commissioner.<\/p>\n It comes after a complaint<\/a> was lodged by renewable energy entrepreneur Dale Vince\u2019s Green Britain Foundation pressure group over a confrontation between Scott and Highlands and Islands MSP Edward Mountain.<\/p>\n Scott, who led the Scottish Lib Dems from 2008 to 2011 and was a minister for seven years, continues to hold a parliamentary pass<\/a> allowing him access to the corridors of power despite his new job which involves corporate lobbying for the fish farming industry.<\/p>\n Vince said: \u201cWe\u2019re talking about an industry already knee-deep in environmental carnage, now allegedly trying to dodge rules that keep our democracy honest.<\/p>\n \u201cThe publlic have a right to know which vested interests are whispering in politicians\u2019 ears. If Salmon Scotland\u2019s<\/a> been playing fast and loose with lobbying laws, what else are they hiding.<\/p>\n \u201cThis reeks of an industry that thinks it\u2019s above the rules – whether that\u2019s environmental regulations or democratic transparency. It\u2019s time to drag their murky dealings into the light.\u201d<\/p>\n When the Sunday Mail previously revealed Scott<\/a> had been reported over alleged lobbying transgressions he threatened to report us to press regulators and furiously denied there was any merit in the complaint.<\/p>\n But Ethical Standards Commissioner Ian Bruce has now written to him and Salmon Scotland<\/a> informing them of his decision to further investigate the October 2023 meeting with Mountain in which Scott has appeared to request he retract comments he made in parliament.<\/p>\n It came after Mountain highlighted figures suggesting tonnes of salmon<\/a> were being destroyed annually, and said: \u201csome are dying when they are harvested and they still reach our tables.\u201d<\/p>\n Later in a a meeting of the Rural and Island Committee Mountain accused Scott<\/a> of \u201cattacking\u201d him in his office.<\/p>\n He said the Salmon Scotland<\/a> chief threatened: \u201cThe issue and your attitude are top of the agenda for the next board meeting. The board are very unhappy with you and are willing to take action against you, unless you retract your comments in the Parliament.\u201d<\/p>\n This meeting was not recorded in the lobbying<\/a> register and GBF has accused Scott of failing to register a number of other meetings. Scott has denied breaking any rules.<\/p>\n Scotland\u2019s farmed salmon<\/a> market is estimated to be worth \u00a31billion a year and supports thousands of jobs.<\/p>\n However environmentalists have raised concerns it is spreading sea lice affecting wild salmon and there has also been accusations of pollution and fish held in putrid sea pens.<\/p>\n A Salmon Scotland spokesman said: \u201c\u201cSalmon Scotland fully complies with the lobbying register.\u201d<\/p>\n Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon is facing a ministerial code probe after she and French husband Baptiste accepted hospitality from Salmon Scotland to watch France at Murrayfield in 2022 and last year.<\/p>\n A total of \u00a31500 worth of tickets, lunch and drinks at the \u201chospitality village\u201d received for February\u2019s Six Nations game were not included in Gougeon\u2019s official register of ministerial gifts or MSP interests.<\/p>\n Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar and Scottish Secretary Ian Murray have come in for criticism for taking free hospitality at Liverpool FC from Salmon Scotland last September.<\/p>\n Salmon Scotland represents a 200-farm industry producing 140,000 tons of fish a yea which is worth \u00a3760million.<\/p>\n A spokesman for the Ethical Standards Comm-issioner did not respond to our request for comment.<\/p>\n Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today.<\/p>\n You’ll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland.<\/p>\n No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team.<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/0_Ed-Mountain-Wind-Turbines-02-1024x683-960x900_cJPG.jpg\")
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