A FORMER Scottish Police Authority chair who quit after a bullying row has made a comeback after helping recruit a senior figure at a UK law and order body. Andrew Flanagan, who left the SPA under a cloud last year, chaired an interview panel that led to the appointment of a new deputy director general at the National Crime Agency (NCA).

The role has triggered claims of a “revolving door” of senior figures who leave high-profile jobs in Scotland only to maintain a link to policing.

Flanagan, the former chief executive of the Scottish Media Group, was unveiled by Justice Secretary Michael Matheson as the new SPA chair in 2015. However, his spell charge was marred by a damaging row over secrecy at the body, which provides oversight of Police Scotland. Flanagan brought forward proposals to hold committee meetings in private and restrict the publication of board papers, proposals that were widely criticised.

Moi Ali, at that point an SPA board member, objected and received a stinging letter from the chair just before Christmas. She resigned within weeks. At a subsequent Holyrood committee hearing, Ali said that Flanagan’s letter amounted to bullying and claimed he was not “fit to continue on any public board”. He resigned and left his post late last year.

However, Flanagan has retained a link to law enforcement since leaving the SPA. As a civil service commissioner, a role he took up in 2013, he was recently part of the selection process for a new deputy director general (Operations) for the NCA. The Commission regulates civil service hires and providing assurance that appointments are on merit after fair and open competition. According to the Commission’s annual accounts for 2016/17, Flanagan received up to £40,000 in fees for duties carried out over the year.

Established in 2013 as a non-ministerial government department, the NCA is the UK’s lead agency for combating organised crime and human trafficking. Flanagan’s predecessor, Vic Emery, also maintained his link to policing after leaving the SPA post in controversial circumstances three years ago. In 2015, the Sunday Herald reported that five members of the board had raised concerns about his competence to the Scottish Government. He was also accused of making inappropriate comments about senior figures, including Matheson.

Emery informed the board that the Government had not substantiated the claims, but he announced his departure from the SPA on the same day. He was later appointed as the new chair of the Civil Nuclear Police Authority. In the CNPA annual accounts for 2016/17, Emery received between £20,000 and £25,000 in fees, although this only covered part of the year.

Sir Stephen House, who was the first chief constable of Police Scotland, also quit his post at the single force in 2015. He stood down earlier than planned following scandals on stop and search and an illegal spying operation conducted by the Counter Corruption Unit. His early exit was also heavily influenced by the force failing to respond to a fatal car crash on the M9 for three days. However, despite the controversies, House landed a senior role this year as an assistant commissioner of the Met in London. The lucrative post commands a salary of around £190,000.

Scottish Tory MSP Liam Kerr said: “There does seem to be a bit of a revolving door. People will be concerned that senior figures can leave one arm of the police under a cloud, only to land on their feet quite easily at another.”

Ali said: “When someone’s attitude or behaviour has been found wanting in one role, then there is potential carry-over to any other positions they may hold. It’s always really concerning when someone exits one chairship with a cloud hanging over them, and then pops up as if absolutely nothing happened.”

Graeme Pearson, the former director general of the Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency, said: "Someone somewhere seems to believe Flanagan still has a major contribution to make to the future of law enforcement, though I find it difficult to find the evidence to justify that view."

A Commission spokesperson said: “The NCA is not a policing body, it is a non-ministerial government department. Civil service commissioners – who come from a wide range of backgrounds – are allocated to chair senior civil service competitions depending on a number of factors, including current workload and availability. Other commissioners have also chaired NCA competitions.”