The UK Government has been urged to clarify whether Whitehall officials routinely “go behind the backs” of Scottish ministers to follow-up private conversations.
SNP MP Peter Grant demanded to know whether the move to contact the French Embassy after Nicola Sturgeon’s meeting with ambassador Sylvie Bermann during the election campaign was usual policy.
He has repeatedly called for publication of the leaked “Frenchgate” memo, written by a civil servant, which wrongly suggested the first minister wanted David Cameron to win the general election.
Scottish Secretary Alistair Carmichael came under pressure to quit after admitting responsibility for the leak, prompting Cabinet Secretary Sir Jeremy Heywood to order an inquiry.
Following the investigation, the Northern Isles MP, who had previously insisted he was unaware of the document, admitted he had allowed his special adviser Euan Roddin to release details of it.
During a debate in Westminster Hall, the second Commons chamber, Mr Grant asked: “Is it common practice for Whitehall civil servants to go behind the backs of Scottish Government ministers and follow up every private meeting they have?”
He also wanted to know which other ministers were aware of the memo before the leak, who it was written for and who instructed the civil servant to follow up with the embassy.
In addition he criticised the failure to check the memo for accuracy with Ms Sturgeon, adding: “If they had bothered, it would have been clear a lot of it had indeed been lost in translation.”
Civil society minister Rob Wilson defended the Cabinet Office’s “full and detailed” inquiry into the leak.
“We have been transparent about the purpose and findings of this inquiry at every single stage,” he added.
“It’s important the Government can operate in a way that is in the interests of the country.
“The Scotland Office concluded that releasing the memo would be detrimental to international relations.”