One in five MSPs keep it in the family

Nearly one in five MSPs are employing family members on their personal staff, according to a new accountability register published last week.

The register, instigated by calls for greater accountability, publishes details of MSP staff hirings and the expenditure of their £56,650 employment allowance. The revelation that 25 MSPs, including Nicola Sturgeon, employ family members as either secretaries or researchers has prompted concerns over nepotism within Holyrood.

The deputy first minister is not alone, with 11 MSPs each from the SNP and Labour parties, two Conservatives and one Liberal democrat employing a family member. Only one MSP, Labour’s Michael McMahon, employs two members of his family.

Mr McMahon, defended himself from accusations of nepotism, noting that MSPs required people they could trust to work for them. On employing both his wife and daughter he said: “It was all open and above board, and nothing has ever been hidden on this subject. Frankly one of the reasons why family are employed is because few other people would work so hard for so little money.”

Patrick Harvie, Green MSP for Glasgow, criticised his fellow members who employ spouses and family, while noting that his party has never employed family members. He said that his party “wouldn’t support an outright ban, but it’s hardly something that builds confidence in the Scottish parliament.”

As a response to January’s controversy surrounding Conservative MP Derek Conway’s employment of his son Freddie, MSPs have been required to register the family members they employ since August. Mr Conway paid his son nearly £40,000 over three years in public money for “research.”

The Westminster committee on standards and privileges investigated Mr Conway’s employment records, finding “no record” of any work performed by his son. It highlighted the fact that Freddie was a full time student at Newcastle University and rarely travelled to Westminster. Mr Conway was stripped of his Whip and intends to stand down from his seat at the next election.

Alex Salmond, while defending his party members, has highlighted the fact that MPs are not subject to a similar register of family employees, noting that “yet again, the Scottish parliament leads the way in openness and accountability.”