Exclusive:Government 'bias' allegations after independence blogger offered FOI meeting with civil servants
The Scottish government has faced recent controversy over how it handles freedom of information enquiries
The Scottish government has been accused of bias as it emerged a pro-independence podcaster was offered a bespoke FOI service denied to a vocal unionist.
Correspondence released under freedom of information shows officials offering a private meeting with two civil servants to assist a data request.
Yet the same request made by the pro-union think tank These Islands was declined.
Sam Taylor, of These Islands, said: “Scottish Government civil servants bent over backwards for a pro-independence organisation, and then refused an identical request from an organisation opposed to independence.
“After nearly two decades of SNP government, the civil service appears to have given up on even the pretence of political neutrality.”
Internal correspondence dated November last year shows government officials writing to William Thomson, the man behind Scotonomics, in response to his request for details on Scottish Government bonds.
The response says the request will breech the cost limit for FOIs.
“As a first step,” the letter reads, “We can offer a meeting with the officials leading this programme of work to discuss and clarify your request.
“Please let us know if this offer is agreeable.”
Mr Taylor then asked for a sit down with officials to help refine his request on government bonds - and was told no.
Instead, he was instructed to contact Shona Robison and ask for a meeting with her.
It is understood it would be extremely unlikely that the cabinet secretary for finance would meet an applicant to help them submit a freedom of information request.
Scottish Labour Business Manager Martin Whitfield called the situation “bizarre”.
He said: “These revelations are bound to raise some eyebrows.
“This secretive SNP government usually rides roughshod over FOI laws, so it is surprising to see them offering to help anyone.
“It is bizarre that assistance is being offered to some people that isn’t available to all.
“We need to end the SNP’s secret Scotland, strengthen FOI laws and make sure everyone has the same access to the truth, regardless of politics.”
The incident comes as the Information Commissioner threatened further legal action against the Scottish government over the release of documents about an ethics investigation into Nicola Sturgeon.
David Hamilton said the government could not be trusted to handle some files "unsupervised" after being given "preposterous and unacceptable" excuses for not complying with his orders.
Scottish Conservative shadow cabinet secretary for business Murdo Fraser said: “The SNP government is already in hot water with the information commissioner for their sleekit and secretive approach to freedom of information requests.
“If there’s the slightest suggestion that FOI enquires are being treated differently because of the position the requester takes on independence, it would be a disgraceful breach of the government’s legal obligations and the civil service’s requirement to act neutrally.”
A spokesman for the Scottish government said the information requests had not been identical and that the civil service “acts of a principle of equal access to information”.
He said, of the two requests: “The first was a broad FoI request which would have exceeded the cost limit and a meeting was offered to help the requester refine the query.
“The second was a general request for a meeting to discuss information already released under FoI.
“We have responded to a number of requests from Mr Taylor relating to the Scottish Government bond scheme.”
Professor James Mitchell, of Edinburgh University, said: “This inconsistency of treatment, especially given support being offered to a supporter and not to a critic, is odd.
“Not only must all requests be treated similarly but it is vital that such equality of access is made clear.
“Given the secrecy and failures surrounding FoI requests - with the startling criticism from the highly respected independent Information Commissioner - this does need to be explained.
“We should, of course, welcome openness and assistance to those making enquiries but this must be done fairly and even-handedly.”
Comments
Want to join the conversation? Please or to comment on this article.