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Labour calls for inquiry into Lochhead’s hotel stay courtesy of wind farm company 

Credit:  5 June 2013 | www.paisleydailyexpress.co.uk | www.heraldscotland.com ~~

Scotland’s most senior civil servant has been asked to investigate Environment Secretary Richard Lochhead’s decision to accept a hotel stay from an energy firm that was later given planning permission for a wind farm.

Mr Lochhead and his wife received dinner and an overnight stay at Castle Hotel in Huntly on June 1 last year, courtesy of RES Ltd.

The company was given planning permission for an 11-turbine Glenchamber wind farm in Wigtownshire on July 31.

The decision to approve the project was taken by the Scottish Government, after Dumfries and Galloway Council originally refused the planning application in 2011.

Labour’s business manager Paul Martin has written to the Government’s Permanent Secretary, Sir Peter Housden, asking him to investigate Mr Lochhead’s actions.

Mr Martin wrote: “I know Richard Lochhead to be a minister who takes his responsibilities seriously and I have no reason to doubt the integrity of the company involved.

“Yet I am surprised at the poor judgement shown in accepting this hospitality when he must have been aware of this sensitive application. While Mr Lochhead does not have direct responsibility for planning, the nature of the application would have been of interest to his portfolio.

“At this time when public confidence has been damaged by the close relationship between lobbyists, business and senior politicians, I believe it would be appropriate for this to be investigated to remove any doubt of impropriety.”

A Scottish Government spokesman said: “There is nothing to investigate. Richard Lochhead does not have ministerial responsibility for wind farm planning applications and played no role in determining the Glenchamber application.

“On June 1, Mr Lochhead opened a wind farm for RES at Hill of Towie in his constituency in his capacity as local MSP. He received hospitality at the hotel and this was declared in the members’ register of interests.”

Source:  5 June 2013 | www.paisleydailyexpress.co.uk | www.heraldscotland.com

This article is the work of the source indicated. Any opinions expressed in it are not necessarily those of National Wind Watch.

The copyright of this article resides with the author or publisher indicated. As part of its noncommercial educational effort to present the environmental, social, scientific, and economic issues of large-scale wind power development to a global audience seeking such information, National Wind Watch endeavors to observe “fair use” as provided for in section 107 of U.S. Copyright Law and similar “fair dealing” provisions of the copyright laws of other nations. Send requests to excerpt, general inquiries, and comments via e-mail.

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