The Court of Session reprimanded the Scottish Government for contempt after ministers repeatedly missed deadlines to disclose information regarding Alex Salmond files [1].
The ruling underscores a judicial confrontation over government transparency and the legal authority of the Information Commissioner. By failing to adhere to statutory timelines, the government faced a formal rebuke from Scotland's highest civil court in Edinburgh [2].
The dispute centered on a Freedom of Information request for records related to Alex Salmond. According to court documents, Scottish ministers failed to meet the deadlines set for the release of this material [3]. The court said that this failure constituted a contempt of the orders previously issued by the Information Commissioner [4].
In its ruling, the court said the conduct of the ministers demonstrated "a lack of proper respect for the Information Commissioner" [1]. This reprimand highlights the tension between executive discretion and the legal requirements of public disclosure laws [5].
The court's decision emphasizes that statutory deadlines for information requests are not optional. The repeated delays were viewed not as administrative errors, but as a systemic disregard for the regulatory process governing government transparency [2].
Ministers are now under increased pressure to resolve the outstanding requests. The court's finding of contempt serves as a legal warning that further delays in releasing the Salmond files could lead to more severe judicial sanctions [3].
“a lack of proper respect for the Information Commissioner”
This ruling establishes a judicial precedent regarding the enforcement of Freedom of Information laws in Scotland. By finding the government in contempt, the Court of Session has signaled that executive delays in disclosing sensitive political files, specifically those involving high-profile figures like Alex Salmond, will not be tolerated if they undermine the authority of the Information Commissioner.
