THE Presiding Officer has issued a response to calls for a Scottish Tory MSP to correct the record over her interests in rental property.

During FMQs last week, Pam Gosal railed against the rent cap during a supplementary question, clashing with First Minister Humza Yousaf.

However, she did not declare prior to this contribution that she had over £1 million in shares in three property letting firms.

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The Scottish Tories have insisted that Gosal’s interests are not relevant, as they relate to commercial properties not residential.

Her register of interests has been updated to include a reference to the fact she makes no remuneration from her shares in the firms.

It comes after we revealed Gosal was urged to be “transparent” on her interests in the rental sector.

SNP MSP Claire Haughey raised a point of order in Holyrood on Wednesday afternoon, with concerns that Gosal had not followed “proper procedure”.

The National:

“During a supplementary question, Pam Gosal made a number of claims regarding the rent cap implemented under the Cost of Living Tenant Protection Act 2022,” Haughey told the chamber.

“She failed, however, to declare her interest in shares over one million pounds in three letting companies as listed in the member’s register of interests.

“Presiding Officer it is vital that the public who view business in this chamber or who consult the official report are fully informed of potential conflicts of interest, particularly during a meeting as closely followed as First Minister's Questions.”

Haughey told MSPs that she had waited a day to allow Gosal to the record before raising the issue in the chamber.

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“However, as far as I can ascertain, this has not been done,” she added.

“Can the Presiding Officer give guidance on how the official record can be amended to ensure that the high standard of scrutiny is maintained in this Parliament in the area of members' financial interests?”

In response, Presiding Officer Alison Johnstone (below) said: “I would take this opportunity to remind all members that it is a requirement of both the code of conduct and the relevant legislation that members make a declaration of interest before taking part in any proceedings of the parliament relating to their registered interests.

“Under the Code of Conduct I do not have responsibility for considering complaints of this nature and the responsibility to make appropriate declarations lies with members.”

The National:

Gosal has £700,000 in shares, a 50% interest, in APCL Trading LTD, £240,000 in shares, a 33.3% interest, in PCMG Ltd, and £162,500, a 50% interest, in Strathblane Developments LTD.

All three firms, as stated on Gosal’s public parliamentary register, are “concerned with the letting and operating of own or leased real estate”.

Following the exchange at FMQs, Gosal’s register of interests was updated to include the line “The company lets solely commercial property and I receive no remuneration from it,” after each entry.

The MSP for West of Scotland region claimed the rent cap, implemented through the Cost of Living (Tenant Protection) (Scotland) Act in 2022, had “exacerbated” the housing emergency.

Yousaf hit back and said Gosal’s comment was “the most Conservative contribution” he had ever heard in the chamber.

A Scottish Conservative spokesperson said: “As The National were made aware last week, Pam’s interests are not in residential property, so there was no relevant information to declare.”