Ministers are urged by lawyer to launch data ‘leak’ enquiry
MINISTERS have been urged to launch a leak inquiry after Alex Salmond accused officials of sharing confidential material.
The former First Minister’s lawyer has raised concerns over a ‘data breach’ in relation to a Holyrood probe.
He accused the Scottish Government of leaking the contents of a letter in a ‘selective and deliberately misleading way’.
At the weekend, a newspaper reported Mr Salmond had blocked the release of government papers to the Holyrood committee examining how complaints against him were handled.
Lawyer David McKie said the claim is untrue and the information ‘can only have come from the Scottish Government’.
Deputy First Minister John Swinney has refused to provide some legal and court papers related to the Scottish Government’s unlawful investigation into harassment claims against Mr Salmond.
Mr Swinney told the committee on the
Scottish Government handling of harassment complaints an unnamed individual objected to documents being released. He has also cited legal privilege.
On Saturday, a newspaper reported Mr Salmond was believed to be the person Mr Swinney had referenced.
Mr McKie said the ‘highly defamatory and misleading article’ must have been based on information leaked by the Scottish Government in a ‘clear data breach’.
Writing to the Scottish Government, Mr
McKie said he wants the incident to be reported to the Information Commissioner’s Office and investigated.
The lawyer wrote: ‘The information in the article can only have come from the Scottish Government.
‘It was information sent only to the Scottish Government in a letter marked “private and confidential”. The data breach is a clear contravention of the law.’
He added: ‘We are appalled that correspondence with the Scottish Government on matters as sensitive as those involved in this case cannot be sent with any confidence that they will be treated appropriately and in good faith.
‘Furthermore, the breach appears to have been selective and deliberately misleading.’
Mr Salmond has offered to go to court in an attempt to obtain the Scottish Government documents used in the judicial review into its handling of harassment complaints, if Holyrood pays.
In a letter to the committee, Mr McKie said Mr Salmond is not attempting to block papers being released and is prepared to share the letter confidentially with the committee if asked.
He added: ‘Our client’s position is clear he seeks to facilitate the maximum lawful disclosure of documents whilst respecting and, if necessary, enforcing the orders of the court.’
A Scottish Government spokesman said: ‘We have already replied to say we have no evidence of any leak.’