ALEX Neil has spoken of his new additional role with a renewable energy firm – and insists that the additional post will not detract from his work as the MSP for Airdrie & Shotts.
The former infrastructure minister is joining the advisory panel of Ethx Energy and will work the equivalent of one day per month for the East Kilbride-based firm.
He added the role to his register of interests at Holyrood last month, with the entry revealing that he receives “remuneration of between £10,001 and £15,000 per annum” for his input.
Mr Neil told the Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser : “The role is to advise on how the company can best make a contribution on climate change and to reducing fuel poverty, and how that fits in with government strategy north and south of the border.
“It provides energy through biomass, which can reduce bills and help to address fuel poverty. They have an advisory panel of people with experience of public policy and asked me to join; the role is about providing strategic advice.”
He insisted that his constituency role would remain his top priority, saying: “This doesn’t impact on that. I’ll continue to do 60 hours per week, no different from any other MSP; parliamentary work comes first and this role won’t interfere with it.
“When I was a Scottish Government minister, there was more to juggle then as that’s a job which takes so much time – and I always gave top priority to the constituency.
“This role will be taking up some of my own spare time that I have to myself, and won’t interfere with parliamentary work. I can’t and won’t use parliament resources, as that would be wholly inappropriate.
“I now no longer need to spend that time as a minister and thought this would be a useful way of making a contribution.
“Most of the [advisory role] work will take place as meetings, for example with local communities. They could be at times including Saturday and Sunday, just depending on what’s on.”
The MSP – who stepped down last May from his final cabinet post as minister for social justice, communities and pensioners’ rights – had to see his new role approved by the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments, which oversees jobs being taken up by former ministers and civil servants.
Mr Neil added that the conditions they imposed, such as preventing him advising on Scottish Government contracts for one year and from personally lobbying its representatives for two years are “standard restrictions”.
Committee members noted that his role would be “to advise the company on public policy in relation to dealing with fuel poverty; reducing carbon emissions; providing an ethical approach to customers; helping to identify the needs of client groups and generally assisting the company to deliver a quality product and service in an effective, efficient and ethical manner”.
An Ethx spokesman said: “Alex has a commitment to fighting fuel poverty.
“Now that he’s out of government he seems a good fit for us, and will help us grow the business.”