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On a point of order, Presiding Officer. You know what I am going to mention, because I emailed you this morning seeking to raise the matter after First Minister’s question time.
First Minister, as I left the chamber yesterday, I was physically assaulted and verbally abused by your Minister for Parliamentary Business, Jamie Hepburn.
Please speak through the chair, Mr Ross.
This is the point that I wish to make to the First Minister: I wonder whether he will make a statement and take the opportunity to say that he has a zero-tolerance approach to threatening and intimidating behaviour by his ministers. I raised the matter yesterday afternoon with parliamentary officials. I notice that the Minister for Parliamentary Business is not in the chamber this afternoon. Therefore, will he be making a statement on the incident later today?
Comments addressed to the First Minister in the chamber are not a point of order. However, this is a very serious allegation, and it is important that it is dealt with through the appropriate processes. I expect all members to take their responsibilities under the code of conduct seriously. If anyone considers that the conduct of a member has not met the terms of the code, a complaint can be made.
Complaints in relation to most matters covered by the code, including a complaint of this nature, would be initially investigated by the Commissioner for Ethical Standards in Public Life in Scotland. Recommendations in relation to any complaints may come to the chamber in due course, so I must avoid any comment that might compromise that. However, complaints about the conduct of a member arising in their ministerial duties are dealt with under the Scottish ministerial code and are a matter for the First Minister. Thank you.
We will allow a few moments for those in the chamber and in the gallery to clear before the next item of business.
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