There’s no good reason for failing to deliver Alex Salmond papers
Failing to deliver up all the papers in the Alex Salmond Inquiry is simply unacceptable. It goes against the very ethos of the Scottish Parliament which is why the Committee is right to stand its ground.
There are documents and information that requires to remain confidential on the grounds of national security or because of commercially sensitive information. But this isn’t one of those situations and these aren’t those type of documents.
This is an investigation into administrative actions, as well as considering the probity of senior officials. For that reason, the intransigence of the Permanent Secretary and the actions of the Lord Advocate are plain wrong. Reviewing the actions of the administration and senior staff isn’t an area where the national interests threatened or there’s commercial risk. It’s what they’ve done and how they’ve done it that’s being considered.
Civil servants already have methods, all of which are perfectly legitimate, to avoid information being available under FOI. Even any compulsion invoked by the Holyrood Committee won’t get around that, much just isn’t recorded; and its ever been thus. But memos and notes here have been retained and are critical. They must be released.
It’s extraordinary that so far there has been no resignation, not even it appears a modest redeployment in roles.
Yet an expensive civil case was lost, and a gargantuan criminal trawl saw an acquittal on all charges.
Someone or several more likely need held to account, which is why all information must be forthcoming.