13 June, 2018 - 16:49

The Scottish Information Commissioner today published a report [http://www.itspublicknowledge.info/home/AboutSIC/WhatWeDo/Intervention201702016ScottishGovernment.aspx ] [on the Scottish Government’s handling of Freedom of Information requests. It was highly critical and made nine recommendations  which the Government has accepted.

This is a damning report, and vindicates the complaints of many journalists and researchers that Scottish Ministers are slow and inconsistent in how they release information that the public are entitled to. I welcome Ministers' commitment to implement the recommendations in full and urge them to do so swiftly in order to restore public confidence.

Joe Fitzpatrick, the Minister for Parliamentary Business, made a Statement in the Scottish Parliament today [insert link] responding to the Commissioner’s findings. I asked a question as to whether Scottish Ministers have breached the law and who agreed to the Guidance that has been found to be flawed. I was disappointed to receive the most non-answer of any question I have ever asked in Parliament.