Editing Donald Dewar (section)

=== Lobbygate scandal ===
[[File:Opening of the Scottish Parliament, 1999.jpg|thumb|right|Dewar (left) at the state opening of the [[Scottish Parliament]] alongside [[Queen Elizabeth II]] and [[Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament|Presiding Officer]] [[David Steel]], 1999]]

One of the first scandals to hit the new Scottish Parliament occurred when allegations that the lobbying arm of public relations company Beattie Media had privileged access to ministers were published, prompting Dewar to ask the standards committee to investigate the reports.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/458002.stm "Probe launched into lobbying allegations"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071222115148/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/458002.stm|date=22 December 2007}}, ''BBC News''</ref> The minister for finance, [[Jack McConnell]], was called to appear before the standards committee during the investigation although he was later cleared of any wrongdoing and the committee declared there was no evidence he had been influenced from lobbying by Beattie Media.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/492536.stm "Scotland Standards watchdog clears McConnell"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20031215052412/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/492536.stm|date=15 December 2003}} ''BBC News''</ref>

Dewar also threatened to sack any minister or aide who briefed the media against another member of the Scottish Executive, following public rows between Jack McConnell and [[Cabinet Secretary for NHS Recovery, Health and Social Care|Health Minister]] [[Susan Deacon]] over the budget allocated to health .<ref>[http://www.cipfa.org.uk/publicfinance/search_details.cfm?News_id=5659&keysearch=McConnell Public Finance- 14 July 2000] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071007215718/http://www.cipfa.org.uk/publicfinance/search_details.cfm?News_id=5659&keysearch=McConnell|date=7 October 2007}}</ref>