The secretive Scottish Government has been blasted again over its handling of freedom of information requests as ministers were accused of presiding over a "rotten culture of secrecy." New figures revealed that only one third of responses to the SNP Executive were issued in full and on time. Correspondence unearthed by the UK Covid Inquiry also showed civil servants being pestered to delete their messages, with some suggestions this was being done to avoid FOI requests. The Scottish Information Commissioner is also intervening in the issue, raising a "level 3" intervention as he warned that evidence provided to the UK inquiry “raises significant practice concerns”. Scotland deserves better than the rotten culture of secrecy and cover-up this SNP Government has created.

Source: Express February 12, 2024 11:47 UTC