The First Minister said he has ensured there is “openness and transparency” around the party’s finances.
Speaking to journalists at the Scottish Parliament, he said: “For me, obviously, I have come into office and I have strengthened the governance of the Scottish National Party so that members of the party are able to freely and openly express their views.
“I have put in place the strongest level of financial control and financial assurance that I think is required, and that there is openness and transparency about the consideration of all financial items that are considered by the party and the scrutiny that members of the national executive committee are entitled to expect to be able to exercise.”
He continued: “This is obviously a very significant issue that commands a great deal of public attention, and I recognise that.
“But what I say is that we have had an extensive police investigation that has established serial criminality and a whole range of different actions to cover that up.”
