Counsel to the Scottish Hospitals Inquiry Alastair Duncan KC left his role on Friday along with junior Victoria Arnott. Both are members of Axiom Advocates.

The pair had been serving the inquiry which is scrutinising the construction of the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH) campus in Glasgow and the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People in Edinburgh.

Their duties involved interviewing and interrogating witnesses during several months of public hearings. Both were appointed in September 2020 and it has been confirmed that their replacements are currently being sought.

A senior lawyer, unaware of the reasons for the resignations, said: “It wasn’t a planned thing and that tells me it’s for a very serious reason. Alastair Duncan was the lead counsel and is a thorough and well-respected professional who wouldn’t just leave something so important.

“He wouldn’t have left the inquiry unless absolutely necessary and Victoria Arnott would have been loyal to him and left as well I suspect.”

The inquiry was initiated following infections of patients treated at the £842 million Glasgow site with rare bacteria, suspected by some to be associated with the QEUH’s water and air systems. However, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde disputes this claim.

In a statement, the Scottish Hospitals Inquiry confirmed the departure of the two lawyers but declined to provide a reason when questioned by the Sunday Mail.

A statement on the inquiry website reads: “Alastair Duncan KC and Victoria Arnott have stepped down from the inquiry’s counsel team following the completion of their work on the recent hearing on the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital.

“The inquiry’s work into investigating the issues at the QEUH in Glasgow and the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People, and Department of Clinical Neurosciences in Edinburgh continues to make progress and plans for future hearings will be announced in due course.”