Alex Neil was in the post between 2012 and 2014, between Nicola Sturgeon and Shona Robison, and was in Alex Salmond’s cabinet when the hospital was opened in 2015.
Speaking to the Glasgow Times, he said that extra hearings of the inquiry should be convened and Shona Robison should be called to give evidence over a safety review.
(Image: Newsquest)
Most of the debate has centred on whether pressure was applied to the health board to open the hospital before it was ready.
Neil said: “No matter whether it’s a new school, a new hospital, a new clinic, everybody’s pressurising you to get it finished so it’s up and running for obvious reasons.
“The issue here is, did they know about the problem with the water supply and went ahead with the opening.
“Now, it seems that some people within Greater Glasgow and Clyde Health Board did know. John Swinney is adamant that no minister knew.
“However, it’s now emerged that Shona Robison was commissioning a review of the safety immediately before giving the final green light to opening, and she cancelled the review.
“It seems to me that has come out after the inquiry has finished their hearings.
“I think what needs to happen is Lord Brodie needs to have some more hearings and he needs to find out about that.”
(Image: PA)
The former cabinet minister also said that the health board needs to be recalled, given statements made after the inquiry.
Neil added: “He (Lord Brodie) also, now that the health board has said that the water was part of the problem, they think. Why are they just seeing that now?
“Have they got new information or have they been lying through their teeth?”
He said the final inquiry report cannot be written until Lord Brodie has answers.
Neil added that the health board has said “the pressure was internal and they’re trying to say it was Robert Calderwood (then Chief Executive) that was pressurizing them.
“But the question is: were ministers pressurising Robert Calderwood, and did Robert Calderwood know about the water problem?”
Neil said Lord Brodie “Can’t write his report till he knows the answers to those questions?”
The Scottish Government has been contacted for comment.
