Swinney cleared in pension claims investigation

Summarised from 2 outlets · 3 reports · Updated 12 Oct, 18:02 · Archive

John Swinney will not be investigated over claims he misled the Scottish Parliament about pensions and the triple lock.

John Swinney will not be investigated over allegations he breached the ministerial code by misleading the Scottish Parliament, independent advisers have decided. The First Minister referred himself to the panel of three advisers after facing calls to correct the official record over his claim that Scots would 'lose our pensions' because of the UK government's planned changes to the triple lock.

Swinney said at first minister's questions on 6 October: 'We have been taken out of the European Union and we are now going to lose our pensions.' Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay accused him of 'scaremongering' and 'peddling flagrant misinformation', calling for the First Minister to correct the record.

However, the independent advisers concluded that no investigation was required. Swinney wrote to Presiding Officer Kenneth Gibson to confirm the decision, saying he had been 'unambiguously clear' that the loss to pensioners was estimated to be £2,000 in real terms as compared to the triple lock remaining in place. He said he now considered the matter closed.

How it is being reported

• No probe into claims Swinney misled HolyroodThe first minister is facing no investigation into his comments on plans to adjust the pension triple lock.BBC Scotland · 12 Oct, 17:47
• John Swinney will not be investigated over claims he misled Parliament about pensionsThe First Minister will not be investigated over claims he broke the ministerial code by misleading the Scottish Parliament, his independent advisers have decidedThe National · 12 Oct, 14:48
• John Swinney clashes with BBC's Laura Kuenssberg over pension rowJOHN Swinney has fiercely denied allegations that he misled the Scottish Parliament after saying pensioners will lose their pensions after the UK Government decided to end the triple lock in a fiery exchange with Laura Kuenssberg ...The National · 11 Oct, 10:27

In this story: John Swinney · Scottish Parliament · BBC · Laura Kuenssberg · Russell Findlay · Kenneth Gibson · Scotland · UK

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