The SNP has called for a “full, independent inquiry” into whether a Scottish Tory MP has broken the ministerial code.
David Duguid, who represents Banff and Buchan, reportedly criticised proposals for a windfall tax on energy company profits without declaring his wife's £50,000 shares in energy giants BP.
He had previously voted against proposals to examine the impact of increasing taxes on energy companies and has spoken out against potential windfall taxes on four separate occasions since 2022.
Duguid was a junior Scotland Office minister between June 2020 and September 2021 and again briefly in October 2022. He was involved with energy policy at that time.
SNP MP Tommy Sheppard has now written to both the Cabinet Office and the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards demanding “full transparency” on the issue.
The Guardian reported that Duguid had moved his shares into his wife’s name five years before his election as an MP.
The paper also said that she has more than 11,000 shares and should have received more than £2,000 last year in dividends.
Sheppard said: “Serious questions must now be asked as to whether David Duguid broke the ministerial code by failing to declare his wife’s huge shares in BP.
“This revelation underlines the argument that Scottish Tory MPs only have one interest, and that is their own personal gain.
“Would Mr Duguid have had the same desire to oppose a windfall tax on energy companies if he wasn’t set to profit from it? I highly doubt it.
“That is why a full, independent inquiry is essential to clarify if Mr Duguid has, indeed, broken the ministerial code. Full transparency is absolutely key in order to get to the bottom of this.”
Westminster rules say that MPs must declare the financial interests of a spouse or other family member where there could be a conflict.
Duguid's wife’s financial interests have not been disclosed in the House of Commons register or the list of ministers’ interests published by the Cabinet Office.
He has declared interests in BP in two debates since 2022. But these were only referring to him working in the oil and gas industry for 25 years, including 10 years at BP.
A spokesman for Duguid said: “Mr Duguid followed the prevailing rules for reporting relevant financial interests. Those rules and thresholds can be found online on parliament.uk and on the List of Ministerial Interests.”
A Cabinet Office spokesperson said: "There is an established regime in place for the declaration and management of interests held by ministers. This ensures that steps are taken to avoid or mitigate any potential or perceived conflicts of interest."
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