First inquiry probes MSP's link to MMR

By Douglas Fraser Political Editor

A PROMINENT Labour backbencher is to be the first MSP to face a public hearing over allegations that he failed to declare an interest when he spoke in the Scottish parliament in defence of the MMR vaccine.

The allegations against Dr Richard Simpson, MSP for Ochil, have been considered by the Holyrood standards adviser and thought serious enough to go before a public meeting of the standards committee on Wednesday.

Simpson, a former GP and psychiatrist, declared in the parliament's official record that he receives a retainer of up to £5000 as an adviser to the Prostate Advising Forum, sponsored by drug manufacturer Merck Sharp and Dohme. That company is part of a joint venture which manufactures MMR, the triple vaccine against mumps, measles and rubella, at the centre of controversy over alleged links to autism.

One of the parents campaigning against the use of the drug and aiming to secure NHS provision of individual inoculations complained when it was found that Dr Simpson had spoken at least six times in the parliament and its committees, enthusiastically backing the MMR vaccine, without revealing the interest.

Under attack for showing 'contempt' to the parliament, he was reported in February as saying he had been unaware of the connection between the Prostate Advising Forum and the drug's manufacturer. He was unavailable last night for further clarification. Last month he updated his interests, and financial support from the Forum no longer appears.

Simpson will not be called to give evidence in public, having put his case to Gary Watson, the standards adviser. There are harsh penalties for failure to declare interests, including suspension of members' rights and ultimately criminal investigation, though they are more likely to be reserved for those who do not register interests at all.

The hearing follows only a week after the first public appearance of an MSP facing allegations that he breached the code of conduct. Andrew Wilson of the SNP apologised to the standards committee for having described himself, against the rules, as 'local' in the Cumbernauld and Kilsyth constituency, when he is a Central Scotland regional list MSP.