Highlands and Islands MSP, Edward Mountain has called out the SNP Minister responsible for the Scottish Government’s performance in relation to Freedom of Information (FOI) requests, following a portfolio question at Holyrood.
When Edward Mountain MSP asked the Minister how the Scottish Government will ensure more FOIs are answered within 20 days, the Minister replied that “there are other methods of parliamentary scrutiny.”
Edward Mountain has called this a “dismal response” and claimed the Minister “might as well have said, ‘take your questions elsewhere.’”
Back in June 2018, the Scottish Information Commissioner found the Scottish Government to be in breach of Freedom of Information laws by treating requests from journalists and MSPs differently.
That investigation came as a result of a motion from Edward Mountain MSP lodged in 2017, which condemned the Scottish Government’s poor performance on FOIs and called for an independent inquiry to be set up.
During portfolio questions this week, Edward Mountain MSP asked: “the Scottish Government what percentage of FOI requests made to it were answered in full within 20 working days, within the last 12 months.”
The Minister for Parliamentary Business replied: “During calendar year 2020-21, we responded to more than 4,000 freedom of information requests, 86 per cent of which were answered within the statutory deadline. That is broadly in line with the average of other Scottish public authorities, and represents the continued recovery of our performance since the start of the pandemic.”
Then Edward Mountain asked: “That is interesting. Perhaps it is just me, but I have numerous examples of FOI requests not being responded to within the time limit, even those that I have had to appeal. Even a simple question such as, “When will vessels 801 and 802 be delivered?” has been left unanswered for more than four weeks. Surely a Government minister with their finger on the pulse should know the answer to that. Will the minister undertake to look at the 14 per cent of FOI requests that did not make the cut and find out why they did not?”
The Minister said: “The simple answer to Mr Mountain’s question is that there are other methods of parliamentary scrutiny. He could ask parliamentary questions, should he wish.”
Following their exchange, Edward Mountain MSP commented:
“The Minister gave a truly dismal response, he might as well have said, ‘take your questions elsewhere.’
“Is the Scottish Government really suggesting that we should no longer submit FOIs? This is not the response of a Government that is committed to openness and transparency.
“The worrying fact is, many of the answers opposition MSPs receive in Parliament are unsatisfactory and we therefore have little choice but to submit FOIs instead to uncover the truth, even for the simplest of questions.
“Frankly, it’s not good enough and I would urge the Scottish Information Commissioner to investigate the Scottish Government’s poor performance when it comes to FOIs.”
