SNP ‘could have to axe handwritten secret notes’

ministers are set to go ‘electronic’ and scrap handwritten paper notes in the wake of a secrecy row involving nicola sturgeon.

it could mean the end of the traditional ministerial box which is used to hold and transport official government papers.

Handwritten responses and notes added by ministers are later copied to a digital format.

But the scottish Government is now ‘piloting different approaches’ into the ‘electronic operation of the traditional ministerial box’.

Officials say it is part of efforts to ‘reduce our environmental impact’.

it emerged last month that the First minister’s office destroyed her handwritten notes dictating government policy – with critics claiming it was done to avoid scrutiny.

miss sturgeon, who is facing an investigation, said her notes were typed up into emails, which were ‘fully open to freedom of information legislation’, and denied any attempt to avoid the content of her memos being seen.

But tory MSP Donald Cameron claimed the practice – which is different to the way documents are dealt with by Whitehall – could breach the Public records (scotland) Act 2011.

He asked the Government ‘whether it is standard practice for the First minister and all Cabinet secretaries and ministers to respond to official emails with handwritten notes that are subsequently not retained’. in response, Parliamentary Business minister Graeme Dey said: ‘it is long-standing standard procedure for officials to transcribe handwritten notes made by ministers into a digital version as part of the processing of the papers in their ministerial boxes.

‘this digital version is then captured within the official record.

‘As part of the scottish Government’s efforts to reduce our environmental impact, ministerial private offices are piloting different approaches to ensure safe, secure, electronic operation of the traditional ministerial box.’

Last night, mr Cameron said: ‘this is an evasive response from an evasive SNP Government.

‘the issue isn’t the style of notetaking – it’s the transparency and accountability once those notes have been completed.

‘the public want to know that there’s a responsible government at the helm not doing business behind closed doors. nothing the SNP has said recently allays those fears.’

Officials admitted in October that miss sturgeon uses her SNP email account, which is not subject to freedom of information legislation, to conduct government business.

she previously told MSPS that ‘most of my conduct of government business is on paper’.

she said handwritten notes were typed into emails – but it was later revealed such notes were destroyed.

the scottish Government said: ‘systems being piloted by ministerial private officers are already available to civil servants – accessing papers through our secure electronic records and document management system and receiving papers via the government’s encrypted email system.’