THE SNP has been urged to hand over its secret report into sexual misconduct by former minister Mark McDonald to help a Holyrood investigation.
The Scottish Tories said the party should disclose the “full details” of the probe it holds into Mr McDonald’s harassment of two women.
A summary of the report found the former childcare minister had deliberately and persistently pestered two women with “inappropriate and unwanted” messages, paid them “unwanted attention causing distress”, and was guilty of “exploiting his position of power”.
The party has refused to release the full report, even in a redacted form
But with Holyrood’s standards committee considering an urgent request for another inquiry to safeguard parliamentary staff, the Tories said the SNP had a duty to do all it could to help.
One of Mr McDonald’s victims, who works for SNP MSP James Dornan, claims she collapsed and was left unable to work last year after being harassed by him.
Mr Dornan has asked the Standards Committee to investigate Mr McDonald’s behaviour.
In a letter to Thursday’s meeting, Mr Dornan said his staff member was “a targeted victim of harassment and sexual innuendo”.
He said: “In my view having Mr McDonald in the same workplace as his victims would be clear negation of the duty of care that the parliament has to all its members of staff.
“In any other workplace I would expect my staff member to be protected from this kind of behaviour and the Scottish Parliament should be no exception. Something must be done to ensure her and others safety, and that her well-being and mental health is protected.”
The committee is expected to refer the request to the Commissioner for Ethical Standards in Public in Scotland, who investigates alleged breaches of the MSP code of conduct.
If Mr McDonald was judged to have broken the code, he could be sanctioned and even suspended by the parliament.
Mr McDonald resigned as the minister for childcare on November 4.
After a four-month absence, he returned to parliament on Tuesday as the Independent MSP for Aberdeen Donside, having recently resigned from the SNP.
Nicola Sturgeon and other former colleagues have called on him to leave Holyrood, but he intends to stay on, collecting £200,000 in salary before the next election in 2021.
Tory MSP Michelle Ballantyne said: “This is the first time that a complaint has been made to the Scottish Parliament regarding the conduct of Mr McDonald.
“This complaint has only been made because the SNP have totally mishandled the whole affair, leaving Mr McDonald in limbo and his victims in distress.
“The Standards Committee must be able to investigate Mr McDonald’s conduct fully and so the full details of the investigation already undertaken by the SNP must be handed over.
“The Committee must consider what kind of an example Parliament sets to all employers and staff across Scotland, particularly those who have suffered sexual harassment.”
Ms McDonald has also suggested the report could be released with redactions to protect the anonymity of complainants.
Meanwhile Scottish LibDem leader Willie Rennie stepped up his call for a “recall” system, arguing there must be an "appropriate range of sanctions" for errant MSPs.
The UK Parliament passed legislation applying to the recall of MPs in 2015.
Mr Rennie said: “The Scottish Parliament has made a serious commitment to its staff to stamp out sexual harassment and foster a zero tolerance culture. Recent revelations have proved the processes for dealing with inappropriate conduct are not robust enough.
“We should adopt a system of recall now, as a way of keeping our house in order.”
Asked if it would release its full report, the SNP dodged the question.
A spokesman said: "With only 5 per cent of those who have experienced sexual harassment at Holyrood feeling able to come forward, it is vital that complaints of this nature are seen to be properly and fully investigated by the parliamentary authorities."
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