Oversight body rejects MSP’s request on armed police report

The body charged with oversight of Scotland’s single police force has rejected requests to publish earlier versions of their report on armed policing amid claims it was watered down. 

Independent MSP John Finnie had called on the Scottish Police Authority to make available to the Scottish Parliament’s justice sub-committee on policing a copy of the changes that were made to their report prior to final publication.

However, the SPA has said that the release of earlier drafts would “prejudice substantially, or be likely to prejudice substantially, the effective conduct of its public affairs”.

Eight recommendations were made earlier this year as part of the Authority’s inquiry into the public impact of Police Scotland’s decision to allow a small number of officers to routinely carry side arms.

Among the recommendations to be made as part of their inquiry were that Police Scotland proactively work with the SPA on policies or proposals “likely to have a significant public impact” amid criticism it has failed to communicate controversial changes.

Finnie – who sits on the sub-committee at Holyrood – said it was his understanding that the report, which had been published later than originally planned, had been rewritten following input from Police Scotland.

But chair of the SPA scrutiny inquiry, Iain Whyte, told MSPs that the "thrust of our conclusions and recommendations remained consistent through the drafting process", attributing the delay to the body wanting to make sure they had a “full view of the information that had come to us”.    

The Authority, who confirmed similar requests have been made via Freedom of Information, has now written to the sub-committee to confirm that it does not intend to publish initial drafts of the report.

“The SPA has concluded that to release multiple early drafts would prejudice substantially, or be likely to prejudice substantially, the effective conduct of its public affairs,” says its letter to the sub-committee.

“The inability of SPA to develop materials for public presentation, or to restrict the SPA’s capability to effectively test the factual and policy implications of papers, would lead to less comprehensive and quality-assured information entering the public domain or more papers being taken in private.

“Neither of these are, in the SPA’s view, positive outcomes for the public.”

The body said it had set a “very high level of public transparency” in their work around armed policing, citing the publication of an independent academic study and public attitude survey, among other things. 

Finnie said: "I know the report was subject to significant revision and therefore, whilst disappointing, it comes as no surprise that the SPA does not wish the public to know the 'advice' they may have been offered about the original version of the report.”

A Police Scotland spokesman said: “As with any report publication, Police Scotland was given a chance to factually check the content before publication.”