LORD FRASER of Carmyllie has asked MSPs to give him protection from prosecution when he publishes his eagerly-awaited report into the Holyrood Project fiasco, writes Steve Bargeton, political editor.

His report, due in late August, is expected to include damning criticism of individuals and companies. By being granted absolute privilege from Parliament, he would be immune from actions for defamation.

A motion in the name of deputy presiding officer Murray Tosh will today go before MSPs authorising “Lord Fraser to lay his report into the Scottish Parliament Building Project before the Parliament and orders the clerk to publish the report.”

Its effect will be to invoke absolute privilege for Lord Fraser’s report. The motion is expected to go through on the nod.

Last night a Parliament spokesman said, “The Presiding Officer and the First Minister commissioned the Holyrood Inquiry and they continue to expect Lord Fraser’s report to provide an explanation of the project’s history that is as comprehensive and as accurate as possible. Lord Fraser’s view is that to ensure that his report meets these expectations and is not constrained in any way, it will need absolute privilege.

“Both the Presiding Officer and the First Minister agree any such constraint on the inquiry process would be unacceptable. The motion tabled by Murray Tosh seeks approval to invoke absolute privilege.”

Six previous reports have been given parliamentary privilege in a similar way. One was the report into the Chokkar murder case, another was the report on killer Noel Ruddle and there have been four reports by the parliamentary and health ombudsman.