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Covid inquiry: John Swinney ‘deleted material’ for 17 years [1]

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Date: 2024-02 

Former deputy first minister John Swinney admitted today he has been “periodically” deleting his WhatsApp messages for more than a decade, in the latest revelation about poor record-keeping in the Scottish government during the pandemic.

Speaking at the Covid inquiry, Swinney defended his decision to delete records of conversations between him and senior ministers of civil servants, claiming that he was advised by his private office to “not hold information” that was “relevant to the government’s official records,” once it had been placed on that official record.

“Throughout my ministerial career, I have deleted material once I have made sure that any relevant information was placed on the official record of the government.”

He said that he had been following this rule since 2007 when he became a minister, and that he assumed it was in line with the ministerial code. Swinney was using a personal phone and not a work phone.

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Chair of the inquiry Heather Hallett asked Swinney why he did not question the policy of deletion during the pandemic.

“If I have misunderstood the policy of the Scottish government in this respect, then I would apologise unreservedly for so doing so, because my intention was never to do anything other than to make sure the official record was furnished with all the information that it needed to have,” he said.

The revelations come amid multiple stories of ministers deleting their WhatsApp histories, saying they believed this was required of them. Ambiguous guidance to government officials – though not necessary ministers – did advise that “messages should be deleted as soon as they are no longer needed”.

Speaking earlier in the day, Kate Forbes, former cabinet secretary for finance and economy, said she had never deleted her WhatsApp messages until after January 2022, when a “message deletion policy” was given to her.

The inquiry has already heard how Nicola Sturgeon’s WhatsApp messages were deleted, though some remain on the phones of people she had corresponded with.

The hearings continue. openDemocracy is fundraising to pay reporters to cover every day of the inquiry. Please support us by donating here.

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[1] Url: https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/covid-19-inquiry-scotland-john-swinney-whatsapp-messages/

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