Inquiry into missing prisoner row

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Alex Salmond has asked former presiding officers to investigate whether he misled parliament over the issue of inmates absconding from open prisons.

The first minister has referred a complaint under the ministerial code, by the Labour leader Iain Gray, to Sir David Steel and George Reid.

It follows a row at Holyrood over Mr Salmond's failure to mention that a convicted killer was on the loose.

Mr Salmond said it was an operational matter for the police to reveal.

Labour accused Mr Salmond of an "inexcusable" failure to mention a second abscondee during a discussion at Holyrood last Thursday about a different prisoner who had spent a week on the run.

Mr Gray accused the first minister of misleading parliament by telling MSPs there had been an annual total of 16 absconds, saying the figure would have been 17 if Brown had been included.

However, Mr Salmond said the figure of 16 related to the year 2008-09, and not the current year.

This is about the openness and honesty of the first minister and the Scottish Government Iain GrayLabour leader

In a letter to Labour leader Iain Gray, Mr Salmond said: "I believe your complaint to be publicity-driven rather than procedural, and pursued without any solid basis whatsoever.

"However, I set up the independent procedure for the purpose of referring complaints to the panel of former presiding officers.

"On that basis, I have made the reference that you requested to the panel."

Mr Salmond said he would abide by the outcome, and challenged Mr Gray to agree to do the same.

Mr Gray welcomed the investigation.

"Alex Salmond had no choice but to refer himself to the panel after he both withheld information and misinformed parliament over the abscond of a convicted murderer last week," he said.

"This is about the openness and honesty of the first minister and the Scottish Government.

He added: "Alex Salmond's claim the demand for an investigation is a publicity stunt reveals how little he values openness and honesty in government as opposed to his own reputation."