Army of advisers STILL keeping you in the dark on vital information
NICOLA Sturgeon’s army of political advisers is continuing to meddle in information requests – despite growing outrage at the interference.
Scottish Government spin doctors have been suggesting ‘further redactions’ and ‘editing’ of responses to Freedom of Information (FoI) requests, documents revealed yesterday.
It follows a damning report from Scotland’s Information Commissioner which found ministers routinely intervened following requests for politically sensitive information.
Special advisers (Spads) had also tried to influence the refusal and delay of information they do not want in the public domain, it said.
A series of internal documents have been published which show that government Spads are continuing to interfere – despite the report.
Scottish Conservative chief whip Maurice Golden said: ‘This suggests that, even after the SNP Government was hauled over the coals about its attitude to FoI, its political advisers were continuing to meddle.
‘There is no place in the Freedom of Information process for political interference. The fact the Nationalists still haven’t accepted that shows just how naturally averse to scrutiny and transparency they really are.’
The documents show that in a number of cases, Spads attempted to alter the information released to the public.
One email states: ‘The response has been reviewed by Spads and they suggested further redactions which we have made to the documents.’
Another says that ‘special advisers have considered the response and have suggested some further redactions’ and ‘the response letter will require editing to take account of these additional redactions’.
The Freedom of Information Act was introduced in Scotland in 2002 to allow everyone access to information held by a public authority.
Another response from the Government suggests that officials were in no ‘rush’ to clear a response – despite an official 20-day time limit – as parliament was in recess and it could not be approved by advisers and the Deputy First Minister, John Swinney.
Scottish Labour parliamentary business manager Rhoda Grant said: ‘It is truly shocking that despite the Scottish Information Commissioner’s damning report the SNP Government are still using their taxpayer-funded spin doctors to interfere in the Freedom of Information process.
‘What bad news is Nicola Sturgeon and her army of spin doctors trying to hide from the Scottish public?
‘The recent report found that the SNP Government bent Freedom of Information law to suit their narrow political interests. It appears they are still doing so.’
The Scottish Daily Mail launched its Secret Scotland campaign exposing a culture of secrecy within public bodies and authorities across Scotland after it was revealed that special advisers are playing an increasing role.
Official figures show the First Minister’s ‘spin team’ grew from ten in June 2016 to 14 in November last year – at a cost to the taxpayer of £1,045,486. This is up from £897,714 the previous year.
A Scottish Government spokesman said the report’s recommendations had been accepted in full, adding: ‘At no point in any of the seven key recommendations in the Information Commissioner’s report does he suggest that special advisers should not continue to provide advice to ministers and colleagues.’
‘What are they trying to hide?’