Scottish Labour’s Rural Affairs spokesperson, Claire Baker, has criticised the Rural Affairs Committee for refusing to invite the Environment Minister Paul Wheelhouse to answer questions over the Raasay lease.

Claire Baker MSP, said: “There are many unanswered questions about the way the Raasay contract was awarded and the way in which this decision was reversed.

“It is the job of the Scottish Parliament committees to hold the Scottish Government to account and the refusal of the Rural Affairs committee to ask the hard questions means that we cannot get to the bottom of this debacle.

“Once again the SNP is using its majority on the committee to close down debate. The committee should be shining a light on how this poor decision was made in the first place, but they would prefer to kick this into the long grass.

“Only last week they were able to show flexibility by including a Thursday session to accommodate the Cabinet Secretary. If they can also make time to travel to Brussels to visit the European Parliament, then surely they can make time to question the Minister on an important topical issue?”