Tut tut Alex Salmond!

Tavish Scott, Leader of the Liberal Democrats in Scotland, has demanded the First Minister make a public apology for misleading the Scottish Parliament.

Although progress has been made today, Mr Scott has learned that the funding situation at the Scottish Inter Faith Council had not been resolved yesterday, contrary to the answer given during First Minister's Questions. 
Senior representatives from the SIFC are due to meet civil servants on Tuesday to finalise the funding application.

An email from Major Alan Dixon, convenor of the Scottish Inter Faith Council makes it plain that the matter was not resolved.

Commenting, Mr Scott said:

"Although I am sure that the First Minister did not deliberately mislead Parliament, this is now a very serious situation.

"The First Minister told the Scottish Parliament that the funding crisis at SIFC had been 'resolved'. 

We now know this not to be the case.

"At the time that the First Minister was brushing off my questions about staff redundancies at the Council, no satisfactory resolution had been secured.

"Leading figures at the Council have made it clear that funding negotiations are ongoing and that they expect a satisfactory resolution early next week.  The First Minister needs to make a public apology to staff at the SIFC and to the Parliament to clear up this matter.

"Our most senior Scottish Minister cannot be allowed to mislead the public and the Parliament in this way."

You can read the full press release at http://www.scotlibdems.org.uk
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