MSPs not told about collapse of funding deal for Scottish nature restoration

Exclusive: Ministers accused of trying to keep investment firm’s withdrawal from partnership with NatureScot under wraps A funding deal to raise £100m from private investors for urgently needed nature restoration in Scotland has fallen through without the Scottish parliament being told. The Guardian has learned that Aberdeen, the investment firm, decided to withdraw from a partnership with the agency NatureScot to raise at least £100m for conservation projects from commercial and private investors late last year. Scottish government ministers did not disclose that when the Highlands Labour MSP Rhoda Grant tabled a question at Holyrood asking for an update on what was known as the nature investment partnership. Jim Fairlie, the Scottish National party agriculture minister, said only that NatureScot “continues to engage with a range of investors” and that “no private finance has yet been directed through the partnership into on-the-ground projects”. Sources with direct knowledge of the issue said it became clear by December last year that Aberdeen was pulling out because it felt the investments would make insufficient returns. In February, NatureScot briefed stakeholders it had withd