Latest news with #CovidInquiry
Daily Mail
3 hours ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Finally, SNP bans WhatsApp from official mobiles in wake of deleted messages scandal
The use of WhatsApp on Scottish Government devices has been banned following the Covid inquiry deleted messages scandal. The SNP Government confirmed that a new policy which ensures mobile message apps like WhatsApp are removed from its phones, tablets and laptops came into effect yesterday (FRI). It applies to all government employees, including ministers, special advisers, civil servants and contractors. But concerns were raised that the move will not be enough to remove the 'secrecy and evasion' culture in the Scottish Government. During the UK Covid-19 inquiry, it was revealed that former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon 's messages from throughout the pandemic had been deleted, and that national clinical director Jason Leitch said in a private message that 'WhatsApp deletion is a pre-bed ritual'. It led to claims that claims that there was an 'industrial-scale' deletion policy at the Scottish Government in an attempt to avoid scrutiny. Announcing that the new policy restricting mobile messaging apps on Government devices yesterday, Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes said it was part of a 'commitment to openness and transparency'. Scottish Conservative MSP Craig Hoy said: 'This is as close as we'll get to an apology from the SNP for the shameful, industrial-scale deletion of Covid WhatsApp messages which was orchestrated by John Swinney and Nicola Sturgeon. 'This change in policy is all well and good but the horse has already bolted for bereaved families who were denied the answers they deserved over the decisions taken by SNP ministers during the pandemic. 'Secrecy and evasion are hardwired into this SNP government, so the Scottish people will not be duped into thinking one overdue concession marks a change in culture.' The new policy states that mobile messaging apps and non-corporate communication channels will not be permitted on government devices. A small number of business areas will be given a 'transition period' until the end of the year, including those responsible for responding to emergencies such as wildfires or for matters of safety and security. Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said: 'None of this changes the fact that the Scottish Government deleted WhatsApp messages on a wholesale basis throughout the pandemic. 'In doing so, they denied the Covid bereaved a full understanding of the decisions that were made, undermining their search for justice and closure. 'The SNP will have to move mountains before people can be confident this deception won't happen again.' Ms Forbes said: 'We are setting out a clear approach to ending government use of mobile messaging apps, and this will support wider work to deliver on our commitment to openness and transparency. 'The use of mobile messaging apps increased during the pandemic as staff worked remotely in unprecedented and difficult circumstances. Having reflected on our working practices, we are now implementing changes to the use of such apps. 'This follows on from actions to implement other recommendations from Ms Martins' externally-led review including updating our hybrid working policy. 'I want to reassure the public that it is a priority of this government to maintain secure and searchable data, ensuring compliance with all records management rules. We will continue to act to ensure our data policies are robust, especially considering technological advances.'
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Scottish Government ending use of WhatsApp after Covid inquiry criticism
The Scottish Government is now ending the use of WhatsApp and other messaging services on its mobile devices, following criticism in the wake of the Covid inquiry. The Government had previously agreed to end its use of WhatsApp and other non-official messaging applications by spring next year. Opposition MSPs have said the new policy is a 'clear admission' from the Government that the pandemic deletions were wrong. The policy comes into force on Friday though some teams will continue to phase out the app by the end of the year. As part of the UK Covid-19 Inquiry, it emerged ministers and top civil servants deleted WhatsApp messages which had been requested by the inquiry team. The Conservatives attacked former first minister Nicola Sturgeon in particular for deleting messages, though she said they did not relate to Government business. Her successor, Humza Yousaf, ordered a review of mobile messaging which was carried out by Emma Martins – the former Channel Islands data protection commissioner. Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes said the policy will apply to all Scottish Government employees, including contractors, senior civil servants, special advisers and ministers. Ms Forbes said: 'We are setting out a clear approach to ending Government use of mobile messaging apps, and this will support wider work to deliver on our commitment to openness and transparency. 'The use of mobile messaging apps increased during the pandemic as staff worked remotely in unprecedented and difficult circumstances. Having reflected on our working practices, we are now implementing changes to the use of such apps. 'This follows on from actions to implement other recommendations from Ms Martins's externally-led review including updating our hybrid working policy. 'I want to reassure the public that it is a priority of this Government to maintain secure and searchable data, ensuring compliance with all records management rules. 'We will continue to act to ensure our data policies are robust, especially considering technological advances.' Scottish Conservative MSP Craig Hoy said: 'This is as close as we'll get to an apology from the SNP for the shameful, industrial-scale deletion of Covid WhatsApp messages which was orchestrated by John Swinney and Nicola Sturgeon. 'This change in policy is all well and good but the horse has already bolted for bereaved families who were denied the answers they deserved over the decisions taken by SNP ministers during the pandemic. 'Secrecy and evasion are hardwired into this SNP Government, so the Scottish people will not be duped into thinking one overdue concession marks a change in culture.'
The Independent
10 hours ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Scottish Government ending use of WhatsApp after Covid inquiry criticism
The Scottish Government is now ending the use of WhatsApp and other messaging services on its mobile devices, following criticism in the wake of the Covid inquiry. The Government had previously agreed to end its use of WhatsApp and other non-official messaging applications by spring next year. Opposition MSPs have said the new policy is a 'clear admission' from the Government that the pandemic deletions were wrong. The policy comes into force on Friday though some teams will continue to phase out the app by the end of the year. As part of the UK Covid-19 Inquiry, it emerged ministers and top civil servants deleted WhatsApp messages which had been requested by the inquiry team. The Conservatives attacked former first minister Nicola Sturgeon in particular for deleting messages, though she said they did not relate to Government business. Her successor, Humza Yousaf, ordered a review of mobile messaging which was carried out by Emma Martins – the former Channel Islands data protection commissioner. Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes said the policy will apply to all Scottish Government employees, including contractors, senior civil servants, special advisers and ministers. Ms Forbes said: 'We are setting out a clear approach to ending Government use of mobile messaging apps, and this will support wider work to deliver on our commitment to openness and transparency. 'The use of mobile messaging apps increased during the pandemic as staff worked remotely in unprecedented and difficult circumstances. Having reflected on our working practices, we are now implementing changes to the use of such apps. 'This follows on from actions to implement other recommendations from Ms Martins's externally-led review including updating our hybrid working policy. 'I want to reassure the public that it is a priority of this Government to maintain secure and searchable data, ensuring compliance with all records management rules. 'We will continue to act to ensure our data policies are robust, especially considering technological advances.' Scottish Conservative MSP Craig Hoy said: 'This is as close as we'll get to an apology from the SNP for the shameful, industrial-scale deletion of Covid WhatsApp messages which was orchestrated by John Swinney and Nicola Sturgeon. 'This change in policy is all well and good but the horse has already bolted for bereaved families who were denied the answers they deserved over the decisions taken by SNP ministers during the pandemic. 'Secrecy and evasion are hardwired into this SNP Government, so the Scottish people will not be duped into thinking one overdue concession marks a change in culture.'
The Herald Scotland
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
Scotland ‘at risk of two-tier justice' over grooming inquiry
First Minister John Swinney yesterday told journalists that the independent Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry is undertaking an extensive review of child protection policy and has the powers necessary to investigate grooming. READ MORE Demands for a closer look at grooming gangs in Scotland follow the publication of damning report by Baroness Louise Casey, exposing decades of institutional failure to protect vulnerable children—particularly girls—from organised abuse. The report described such crimes as 'one of the most heinous in our society' and accused authorities of turning a blind eye, failing to act on warnings, and treating victims as if they were responsible for their own exploitation. It highlighted how children—often in care or already at risk—were coerced, raped and trafficked by multiple men, and later ignored or disbelieved by the very systems meant to protect them. A central finding was the state's refusal to properly examine the role of ethnicity in offending patterns. Despite numerous convictions involving groups of Asian men, often of Pakistani heritage, many agencies avoided collecting or analysing this data for fear of appearing racist or stoking community tensions. Ethnicity is currently recorded in only 37% of suspect cases. Baroness Casey said this lack of transparency had harmed victims, undermined public trust and fuelled extremism. The review found that grooming gangs often operated in loosely connected social networks, targeting vulnerable girls with flattery, gifts, alcohol and drugs before passing them between abusers. Despite countless reviews and promises of reform since the high-profile scandals in Rotherham and Rochdale, Baroness Casey said little had changed in how institutions respond. At the start of the year, the UK Government repeatedly dismissed calls for a national inquiry, arguing that the issue had already been examined in a seven-year investigation led by Professor Alexis Jay. Instead, they commissioned Baroness Casey to conduct a review of the grooming gang evidence. Her searing report—and call for a full statutory inquiry into grooming gangs—prompted the Prime Minister to change position. On Tuesday, Shadow Scottish Secretary Andrew Bowie wrote to the Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, welcoming the probe and urging her to expand the UK inquiry's remit to cover Scotland. 'To exclude Scotland risks creating a two-tier system of justice,' he warned. 'Victims of grooming gangs in Scotland must not and cannot be overlooked.' He said there was 'clear evidence that victims have been trafficked into Scotland as part of organised exploitation networks'. Mr Bowie pointed to a 2016 grooming gang operating in Glasgow, where at least 44 victims were forced into prostitution and abused mentally, physically and financially. A Romanian gang was found responsible for the rape and sexual abuse of women in Dundee. The inquiry, he said, could follow the model of the Covid Inquiry, with co-operation between governments and parallel hearings where necessary. 'It is essential that the voices of Scottish victims are heard and appropriate lessons learned,' he said. 'The Home Secretary must work with the Scottish Government to agree the scope of the inquiry.' READ MORE Meanwhile, Ms Reid, the MP for East Kilbride and Strathaven, said there was little information on the scale of the problem in Scotland. She told the Daily Record: 'Young women and girls are being exploited by organised grooming gangs in Scotland. Strathclyde University's Professor Alexis Jay, the UK's leading expert on sexual exploitation, made this clear to MPs earlier in the year. 'We have even less understanding about the scale of this problem in Scotland. That is simply unacceptable. It is vital Scotland is fully engaged with any statutory inquiry.' She added: 'If the Scottish Government does not intend to hold its own dedicated inquiry, we need clear reasons why—not the vague responses we have had so far. This issue is too serious and urgent to leave unanswered.' Announcing the inquiry in the Commons on Monday, Ms Cooper gave an 'unequivocal apology' to victims and said it was time to 'expose this depravity to the light'. The inquiry will be able to order local deep dives, investigate past failings and examine whether existing systems are still letting down young people at risk. The First Minister was asked on Monday—ahead of the publication of Baroness Casey's review—about Sir Keir Starmer's decision to hold an inquiry, and whether there was a need to do something similar in Scotland. He said: 'The Prime Minister has obviously taken his own decision in relation to grooming gangs. 'We established the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry some years ago. It has extensive scope and the ability to explore many—and all—of these issues. 'There will, of course, be other processes of inquiry undertaken when that is appropriate. 'I would give every consideration to an issue of this type if I felt it was necessary to be undertaken—and we will do that in the fullness of time.' Responding to Ms Reid's comments in the Daily Record, a Scottish Government spokesperson said: 'The independent Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry is undertaking an extensive review of child protection policy in Scotland and will report with recommendations. 'We have also established a national multi-agency Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Strategic Group. All healthcare and education professionals already have a duty to report child abuse. The case for mandatory reporting more widely remains under active consideration.'
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Rishi Sunak ‘refused to pay people more to self-isolate during Covid'
Rishi Sunak refused to pay people more to self-isolate during the pandemic, the inquiry into the crisis has heard. Baroness Harding, the former head of NHS Test and Trace, said the then-chancellor rejected proposals to pay people more to isolate 'at every opportunity' while he was chancellor. 'There was an intransigence to that, that I think was very sad,' she told the Covid Inquiry. In September 2020, the government announced that people would be required to self-isolate by law. A £500 package of support was put in place for people on low incomes who could not work from home and would lose pay as a result. But in her witness statement to the inquiry, Baroness Harding said: 'The UK spent proportionally much less than other developed countries enabling disadvantaged people to self-isolate. 'If we had allocated more of the NHS Test and Trace budget to isolation support, I strongly suspect that fewer would have died and infection rates would have been lower, with all the benefits that would have brought.' Asked whether she felt she held any responsibility for the way the Test and Trace budget unfolded, she replied: 'It's certainly the thing that I wish I had succeeded in persuading ministers to do. 'We had the money in the budget, we didn't spend all of our budget, and I also think that spending more on self-isolation would have reduced the need for testing. 'But I wasn't the decision-maker – the decision-maker in this was the chancellor and at every opportunity, from June onwards, the chancellor rejected the proposals. And, in the end, that was not in my control.' Summarising her written evidence, Sophie Cartwright KC, the counsel to the inquiry, told the hearing that, amid low take-up of self-isolation when the support system came into place in September 2020, the Baroness 'continued to champion for more to be done' but felt on occasion like she was 'banging her head against a brick wall'. Baroness Harding said: 'The modelling showed that the best way to get an operationally effective test and trace system that would reduce the rate of infection and enable us to get back to a more normal life was to encourage more people to come forward for testing. 'And that the data told us that people weren't coming forward for testing because they were scared of the consequences of isolation. To be honest, it was intensely frustrating. 'And what you see through the paper trail – I found it quite distressing reading it, to be honest – because we did try really hard to persuade ministers that this would be a good thing, not just for the individual wellbeing of those disadvantaged people, but also economically – this was one of the ways you could have had less economic harm for the country as a whole. 'And I think that the chancellor, particularly, this was a point of principle for him. 'I don't think there was any amount of data and analysis that I could have put that would have changed his mind – it was a point of principle that he didn't want to create an additional welfare benefit. 'Now I do appreciate this is a complex thing... there is a policy conundrum there, but what I was unable to achieve was any substantive engagement in how to mitigate that policy problem and to recognise that actually, the policy problem of not supporting the vulnerable to isolate was a much bigger one. 'You can hear my frustration as I say it now, there was an intransigence to that that I think was very sad.' Meanwhile, Baroness Harding was asked about Test and Trace needing to put all communications out through Downing Street. She said that, in a future pandemic, a public health agency should be able to have deep expertise 'but also permission to speak', adding: 'Trust in a system like this is its most important quality and I would be first to say that we could have done better at building society's trust in this.' Ms Cartwright replied: 'I think you detailed that request for you to essentially directly communicate on those issues was refused, and essentially, you ended up feeling like NHS Test and Trace became the whipping boy.' Baroness Harding replied: 'Yes.' The inquiry continues. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
