Shock! Horror! Well, maybe not...

The Sunday Times makes a story out of nothing:

"MINISTERS responsible for introducing Scotland’s smoking ban have been accused of hypocrisy after it emerged they are paying into a pension firm that has £126m invested in the world’s biggest cigarette company.
Jack McConnell, the first minister, and Andy Kerr, the health minister, can expect a lucrative payout from investment firm Baillie Gifford, which owns 3m shares in US-based Altria, makers of Marlboro cigarettes.
The value of Altria shares has risen by 230% in the past five years. Parliament officials believe the £10m pension fund the firm runs for all Scottish ministers and MSPs is directly invested in tobacco firms."

Facts:

1. Ministers and MSPs are contributors to a pension fund.
2. The fund is managed by Bailie Gifford, one of Scotland's most respected investment managers.
3. Bailie Gifford invests in a range of assets, including shares in a company which manufactures fags.

Do Ministers have any direct influence over the investments made on behalf of their pension fund? No. Is there a story here? No. Is there hypocrisy here? Aye, but it has nothing to do with Ministers.