SNP adjustments information protecting after auditors elevate ‘issue’, Humza Yousaf reveals
C
hanges have been made to the best way the SNP information donations after auditors raised an “issue”, Humza Yousaf mentioned.
The social gathering chief and Scottish First Minister spoke in regards to the adjustments after it emerged it could be submitting “qualified” accounts to the Electoral Commission.
With the SNP required to submit accounts to the watchdog by July 7, the SNP confirmed on Friday it was on monitor to fulfill this – however there could be a “qualification relating to one stream of income due to administrative processes”.
It added that this had resulted in a “limitation in scope of the audit”.
When I first got here into this position as chief there was a big quantity of doubt as as to if we might get these accounts submitted on time
Speaking in regards to the state of affairs, Mr Yousaf instructed PA Media: “The qualification the auditors refer to is really in relation to ensuring that donations that are under £250, that we keep hard copy documentation of those donations.
“We do keep an online record of them but the auditors say there should be a hard copy of those donations kept as well.”
He added: “As soon as the auditors raised that issue with us the treasurer Stuart McDonald made sure the party immediately took steps to keep hard copy records.”
Mr Yousaf confirmed: “As soon as it was flagged to the treasurer that particular issue, the treasurer ensured there was steps taken that any donation that comes in below £250 that a hard copy record is kept.
“It’s important to say an online record was kept, but the auditors have flagged that a hard copy should also be kept.”
When Mr Yousaf succeeded Nicola Sturgeon as SNP chief and Scottish First Minister in March he was knowledgeable the social gathering’s auditors had give up a number of months previous to that.
AMS Accountants Group was later appointed to tackle the job, with Mr Yousaf saying on the time there had been a “significant amount of doubt as to whether we would get those accounts submitted on time”.
He mentioned he was “very pleased we have been able to meet the various deadlines we have had to, both in terms of the Westminster accounts and the party’s accounts”.
As properly as points with the social gathering’s accounts, Mr Yousaf’s early days as SNP chief noticed the arrest and questioning of former chief government Peter Murrell and the then treasurer Colin Beattie by police probing SNP funds.
Former first minister Nicola Sturgeon, who’s married to Mr Murrell, was later arrested, with all three being launched with out cost pending additional investigation.
Mr Yousaf, who succeeded Ms Sturgeon in March, insisted he would “absolutely” nonetheless have put himself ahead for the position, even when he had recognized about these occasions on the time.
Speaking forward of marking 100 days within the job subsequent week, the SNP chief mentioned: “There can be no greater honour than being the leader of your country, being able to serve your country as First Minister of Scotland, I wouldn’t change that for the world.
“There’s no getting away again from how challenging the last few months have been, I’m not going to pretend otherwise.
“But equally I get up out of bed in the morning knowing I am able to make a difference to people’s lives every single day.
“So I wouldn’t change it for a minute, for a second.”