A CALL has been made for an ­investigation into why one of main opposition groups to the Assisted Dying Bill was allowed to set up a stall in the Parliament last week under a different name.

Care Not Killing staffed a stall ­registered under Logos Scotland at the Edinburgh building to coincide with the consideration of the ­Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults ­(Scotland) Bill.

“This week’s stall has one clear aim – promoting opposition to the ­assisted dying bill currently being considered at Holyrood,” said Fraser Sutherland (below), CEO of Humanist Society ­Scotland, who has written in protest to the Parliament’s Presiding Officer, Alison Johnstone.

“All of the people staffing the stall were employees or consultants of Care Not Killing, and the slogans on leaflets and signs gave every indication of their hostility to the bill.”

He added that the stall was actually listed as being hosted by Logos Scotland but their work wasn’t covered anywhere on the stall.

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“In their application to the ­Parliament Events Team, Logos ­Scotland have clearly failed to ­declare their intention to host a stand on ­behalf of another organisation, Care Not Killing,” said Sutherland in his letter.

“In doing so they have neglected to indicate the substantive focus of the stall itself.

“In my view, this is a deliberate and underhand attempt to circumvent the rules governing member-sponsored exhibitions in Parliament.”

The stall was sponsored by failed Tory leadership contender Murdo Fraser, above.

The rules around such stalls state that “the content of an exhibition should be agreed with your sponsoring MSP”.

However, when asked by the ­Sunday National if he was aware of what exactly the content of the stall would be when he sponsored it, Fraser said: “No, I wasn’t – and nor would I expect to be. I was merely the sponsor of the stall, but I understand that in this instance Logos Scotland ­partnered with Care Not Killing because of their shared interest in end-of-life issues.

“As far as I know, neither organisation has exhibited in the Parliament within the last two years, and no rules have been broken.”

But Sutherland told the Sunday National: “Questions certainly have to be asked as to why Parliament and MSPs were kept in the dark about the real aims of this exhibition regarding a live bill.

“This would appear against the long standing principle of lobby groups not having undue access to parliamentarians during bill procedures and ensuring transparency.

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Such a move sets a dangerous precedent for the Scottish Parliament on allowing lobbyists direct access to MSPs during the legislative process.

“The submitted information by Logos clearly fails to declare their intentions to lobby MSPs votes.

“Not only was it dishonest to ­Parliaments staff who have to take this into consideration but to their sponsoring MSP and other members of parliament.”

However Care Not Killing maintained they had abided by the rules and Shona Haslam, chief executive of Logos Scotland said she had been unable to attend the stand due to family illness.

She added: “We work closely with Care Not Killing on end-of-life issues and campaigning for better palliative care in Scotland.

“There are more MSPs in ­Scotland than palliative care doctors and we welcome any opportunity to bring these issues to the attention of ­parliamentarians.”

A Scottish Parliament spokesperson said: “The rules set out by the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body do not prevent organisations holding exhibitions related to live ­legislation. The Presiding Officer will respond to the Humanist Society Scotland shortly.”