Sir Simon Case told the Lords Committee that he would consider issuing a guide on “proper spending”. Photo: Andrew Parsons/No 10 Downing Street
The UK's most senior civil servant says he is considering cracking down on Humza Yousaf's SNP spending taxpayer money on Scottish independence.
Sir Simon Case, Secretary The Cabinet Office said it was considering issuing “further clarifications and recommendations” to Scottish Government civil servants on “what is and is not an appropriate expense.”
He told the Lords' constitutional committee that it would be “unusual and a little disturbing” if taxpayer-funded civil servants were used to try to divide the country.
Sir Simon said “a number of cases” had been brought to his knowledge, and he is now discussing the “legitimacy and ethics” of the matter with ministers.
In a speech that put pressure on John-Paul Marks, the permanent secretary of the Scottish government, he made it clear that instructions from SNP ministers to officials who violate reserved powers should be rejected.
Unionist politicians have for many years have complained for years about the legitimacy of the Scottish government's spending on independence, as the constitution is a matter entirely reserved for Westminster.
Sir Simon and his predecessors had previously given the green light to Holyrood using officials and the public. money to promote their independence campaign, arguing that civil servants have a duty to support the political goals of SNP ministers. pressure on him to intervene intensified last November when the Supreme Court ruled unanimously that the Scottish Parliament was not entitled to hold an independence referendum because the constitution was protected.
There was even greater outcry when Mr Yousaf created the new role of Independence Minister in March after replacing Nicola Sturgeon as First Minister.
Last month, he unveiled a paper on a written constitution for an independent Scotland, the latest of a series of projects which together are intended to form a new prospectus for separation.
While the Scottish office denied that there had been an official inquiry, it was revealed earlier this month that Lord Stewart of Dirleton, Attorney General of Scotland, had asked his officials to look into the matter .
Lord Foulkes of Cumnock, a Labor Colleague and former MSP explicitly urged Sir Simon to take action, saying 20 UK civil servants have been made available to support the SNP Independence Minister.
Sir Simon told the committee: “We are looking at some of these specifics as we speak and are doing this with ministers at the moment to see if we need to provide further guidance and clarification to civil servants on what is and is not an appropriate expense.
Asked by Lord Foulkes about whether civil servants should be used to help the SNP “split the United Kingdom”, he said: “I think that would be unusual and a little unsettling, so we are looking into the specifics of the cases that you and others involved bring up regularly in correspondence.”
Humza Yusuf, First Minister, with the Scottish government's latest plan for independence. Photo: Robert Perry/PA Wire
Lord Keen of Ely, the former Advocate General of Scotland, retorted to Sir Simon why action was only being considered now, after the Scottish Government had spent years supporting separation.
The Cabinet Secretary said: cases that we think should be addressed…we thought the guidance was clear.
“But I think we had reasons to look at different uses and uses of the money, so we're looking at it now.”
Sir Simon said he could not be held responsible for the inaction of his predecessors, stating that, he suggests they consider the current guidance to be “adequate”.
However, he said he wants to “make sure public servants working in Scotland have very clear guidelines about what they can and cannot do because they deserve such protection.”
Referring to the controversy over independence spending, the Cabinet Secretary insisted that Scottish Government civil servants were looking into “these extreme cases” carefully, but he wanted to make sure “we are doing absolutely everything we have to do to protect and maintain that impartiality.” ”.
The civil service 'serves the Scottish government'
When asked when the manual would be published, Sir Simon replied: 'I hope it will be in a few weeks'.
Lord Foulkes said he was “very reassured” by the action.
Earlier this year, Mr Marks defended the appointment of Jamie Hepburn as independence minister, saying that the civil service “serves The Scottish Government and their priorities.”
The Scottish Government spokesman said: “The Scottish Government has been elected with a clear mandate to provide the people of Scotland with the information they need to make informed choices about their future.
“The role of the civil service is to support the elected government in developing and implementing its policies.”
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