Delete! SNP spin doctors ‘in email cover-up’
SNP ministers faced claims of a cover-up yesterday after it emerged political advisers had encouraged staff to delete emails which could be traced back to them.
Documents have revealed that the Scottish Government has been operating a policy which sees staff ‘immediately delete’ emails detailing the involvement of special advisers when responding to freedom of information (FOI) requests.
Critics and campaigners have demanded an end to the policy, branding it an ‘outrageous’ and ‘unethical’ practice, which they believe has been used to ‘cover the tracks’ of some of Nicola Sturgeon’s most senior staff.
They have called for SNP ministers to revoke the policy and release all emails which have been deleted under the rule.
Scotland’s information commissioner Daren Fitzhenry has launched an investigation into claims of ‘interference’ in the release of public documents by SNP ministers and advisers.
He has been urged to consider the evidence, which was revealed yesterday, detailing ‘rules’ dictating staff must delete emails which show how advisers have helped shape FOI responses.
The latest revelations come from documents obtained by journalist James McEnaney, who published the information on his social media.
One of the instructions for the email inbox used by advisers responding to requests states: ‘Once SPADS [special advisers] have provided final comments on the request, keep only the email containing the final comments and the final response letter. Delete everything else.’
Special advisers are party political appointments to government, meaning their emails and other documents can be released under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act.
Lib Dem MSP Mike Rumbles urged ministers to ‘retract this instruction’ and release all deleted emails. He said: ‘This outrageous instruction is designed to cover the tracks of special advisers. The words “delete everything else immediately” are not compatible with good governance, transparency or the SNP’s claim to be running the most open government ever.’
Carole Ewart, convenor of the Campaign for Freedom of Information in Scotland, said: ‘This exposes a weakness in the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act as well as a problem with the culture-wide problem.’
A Scottish Government spokesman said: ‘It is the responsibility of the lead policy official handling the FOI to ensure that documents for the public record, including emails, are correctly stored electronically. It is Scottish Government policy that no private office, including the special advisers’ private office, is responsible for retaining email trails.’