'Something rotten in the state of Scotland' as SNP refuses to set a date to release 'Salmond files'

Parliamentary Business Minister Graeme Dey was pressed to set the date the documents will be released, but refused to do so as “if it slipped it would be criticised”.

However he assured MSPs that government officials were “working at pace” to make sure the documents were released.

This comes after First Minister John Swinney promised to release the files before the Holyrood election in May.

Last week Scottish Information Commissioner David Hamilton announced he had instructed solicitors to begin proceedings against the Scottish Government at the Court of Session, the first time this has happened in the history of this post.

The commissioner had previously given the government until January 15 to release documents relating to a probe by James Hamilton KC into potential breaches of the ministerial code by former first minister Nicola Sturgeon during the investigation into her predecessor Alex Salmond.

A subsequent deadline was then set for January 22 but the deadline was again missed by ministers.

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Last week Mr Swinney criticised Mr Hamilton, saying he had “erred in law” by demanding the government release all the documents in the ‘Salmond files’, as he believes it could inadvertently identify the women who complained of alleged sexual assault against Mr Salmond.

At a debate on the issue on Tuesday, Parliamentary Business Minister Graeme Dey said: “The First Minister made clear the Scottish Government will comply with the commissioner’s decision on this as soon as possible.

“The court orders make it clear that those who complained must have their identities protected and we cannot release information that would breach that.

“Accelerated work is under way but we have to consider each document for release given the need to avoid jigsaw identification.”

Former SNP MSP Fergus Ewing also said: “When Alex Salmond defeated the Scottish Government in his court case, the judge Lord Pentland said the government was tainted with apparent bias.

“The dean of faculty Roddy Dunlop said ‘thankfully the affidavit was not lodged’, and the permanent secretary Leslie Evans said the day after that ‘the battle may be lost, but not the war’.

“To paraphrase Shakespeare, there is something rotten in the state of Scotland.”

He then argued the Scottish Government should “open up the books and make public all redacted and public documents”.

In response Mr Dey said he “doesn’t in any way accept the characterisation” Mr Ewing put forward and said ministers are “content with the advice we’ve received”.

During the debate Mr Dey also dismissed Conservative MSP Liam Kerr’s suggestion that the government had used AI to filter the documents in this case.

Last week Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said he would release the ‘Salmond files’ if he wins the upcoming Scottish Parliament election and becomes the next First Minister.