Justice Secretary Michael Matheson has refused to get embroiled in a row over plans to merge three north-east police divisions.
He was asked to reject a proposal to subsume Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire and Moray into one entity yesterday but sidestepped the question.
The issue was raised at Holyrood by north-east Labour MSP Lewis Macdonald who is worried that the oil capital of Europe could be left without a dedicated police division or any responsible senior police officer of the rank of chief superintendent or above.
Mr Matheson said: “Police Scotland has undertaken an extensive consultation on the issue.
“I discussed the issue this week with the chief constable, who assured me that he will consider the views that have been submitted to Police Scotland as part of the consultation process.
“Likewise, I would expect the Scottish Police Authority to scrutinise fully the proposals that Police Scotland takes forward and to consider how to respond to the consultation results.”
Speaking after the exchange, Mr Macdonald said: “I gave Michael Matheson the chance today to stand up for the people of Aberdeen and reject these proposals but he chose to remain silent.
“SNP ministers have closed prisons, courts and police stations in the north-east since 2007 and Aberdeen’s fire and police control rooms are next in line for closure.
“It is disappointing that Michael Matheson seems to be following the same approach as his predecessor, Kenny MacAskill.
“It seems communities will get no help from the SNP when it comes to preventing more public sector closures in the north-east.”