First Minister 'relishing prospect' of appearing before Salmond inquiry
Nicola Sturgeon also called on her predecessor to present information to the committee "on the record and on oath"
The First Minister has said she is “relishing the prospect” of appearing before Holyrood’s Alex Salmond inquiry next week, to refute claims made about her “head on”.
Nicola Sturgeon is expected to appear before the Committee on the Scottish Government Handling of Harassment Complaints on Tuesday.
The inquiry, set up to look into the Scottish Government's botched handling of complaints made against Mr Salmond, was due to hear from the former first minster this week, but he declined to appear after the committee said it would not publish evidence he submitted.
Speaking during First Minister's Questions, Ms Sturgeon issued a veiled plea to Mr Salmond to appear before the committee, adding she is ready to tackle what she called “conspiracy theories”.
Her Government's handling of the complaints was deemed unlawful by judge Lord Pentland, with Mr Salmond receiving a £512,500 payout.
In response to a question from Scottish Conservative Holyrood leader Ruth Davidson, Ms Sturgeon said: “I've had accusations levelled at me for two years.
“I've not been able to answer those fully because of ongoing criminal proceedings and latterly out of respect to the process of this committee.
“It's not me that's refusing to sit in front of the committee - I'm relishing the prospect of doing that.
“Then people can hear my account and they can make up their own minds.
“I believe it is important to subject myself to scrutiny, to make sure the Government is subjected to scrutiny, but also to have the opportunity to take head on some of the ridiculous conspiracy theories that people like Ruth Davidson, in my view, have been all too quick to want to indulge.”
Responding to a question from Labour interim leader Jackie Baillie, Ms Sturgeon went further, pushing the committee to compel her predecessor Mr Salmond to appear.
She said: “I still hope the committee will perhaps use the powers that are available to it to ensure that everybody relevant sits before this committee and gives evidence, but that's a matter for the committee and for Jackie Baillie.
“I look forward to this opportunity and I say it again, I think if the committee is really interested in having proper, full transparency, then it will be ensuring that everybody who has got relevant information to offer here is before that committee and doing that fully, openly, on the record and on oath, just as I will be on Tuesday.”
Earlier, Ms Sturgeon accused Ms Davidson and some members of the committee of having made their minds up about the First Minister's evidence before her appearance.
Ms Sturgeon has already submitted written evidence to the committee and has repeatedly been asked about the inquiry during proceedings in Holyrood.
But Ms Davidson claimed: “We have failed women, taxpayers' money and a cover-up at the heart of Government - this whole affair stinks to high heaven and someone should take responsibility.”