THE new SNP administration is facing a deluge of questions over a deal signed between Nicola Sturgeon and a Chinese company linked to claims of corruption and human rights abuses.
Within hours of MSPs being sworn in on Thursday, 28 written parliamentary questions from Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie about a memorandum of understanding agreeing a partnership that could see up to £10bn invested in Scottish infrastructure were lodged at Holyrood.
It emerged during the election campaign that one of the two companies to sign the agreement with the SNP leader, China Railway No. 3 Engineering Group, is owned by a company blacklisted by Norway's oil fund due to an "unacceptable risk" it was involved in "gross corruption". The parent company was also implicated in illegal forced evictions in Africa where it has mining interests.
A series of Freedom of Information requests concerning the deal are now overdue. Mr Rennie, who has previously called for the agreement to be shredded, said that the Scottish Government would not be able to "stonewall" the parliament.
He added: "The closer you look at this China deal the murkier it looks. The First Minister has admitted that due diligence on the firms involved was not done despite the fact that a business tied to the deal has been blacklisted by Norway’s oil fund and criticised by Amnesty International.
"The SNP desperately tried to duck proper scrutiny and failed to respond to Freedom of Information requests within the time limit. There are real questions to answer and the SNP cannot stonewall the Parliament any longer.
"We all want to see Scotland grow but working with businesses who are implicated in gross corruption and human rights abuses is not the way to do it. It is time for answers over how this deal came about and what the SNP government promised the Chinese firms before their photo op at Bute House."
Read more: China deal: Now SNP call for transparency after council snub
The SNP has repeatedly claimed that despite the signing of the memorandum of understanding in March, no firm projects have yet been agreed with the Chinese firms.
The Scottish Government is expected to answer Mr Rennie's questions by May 26.
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