HUMZA Yousaf has insisted he has kept his WhatsApp messages from during the pandemic but added that it was Scottish Government policy to “routinely delete” messages.
It comes after reports suggested that former first minister Nicola Sturgeon and national clinical director Jason Leitch had deleted messages which had been requested by the UK Covid inquiry.
We told how Scottish Government ministers rejected the suggestion Leitch had deleted WhatsApp messages.
It comes after the Sunday Mail alleged that WhatsApp messages sent by Sturgeon had been manually deleted from her phone, and that Yousaf was also one of a number of senior figures who said information had not been retained.
However, during a broadcast media round on Monday in Edinburgh, the First Minister refused the reports and insisted he had retained his messages.
“I’m not sure where those press reports have come from in regards to my own WhatsApp messages,” he said.
“I’ve kept WhatsApp messages and fully intend to hand them over to the Covid inquiry, whatever the Covid inquiry wishes to see I’m more than happy to do that.
“So I’ve certainly maintained my WhatsApp messages.”
Asked by LBC about the reports that Sturgeon and Leitch had deleted messages, Yousaf said: “I’m confident the former first minister can speak for herself in terms of what she’s kept, what she’s retained and what she hasn’t done, and the rationale for that.
“Remember of course we had a social media messaging policy that required us to routinely delete WhatsApp messages, that was the policy at the time.
“Of course, the do not destroy notice is one that I expect everybody to comply with, Scottish Government ministers, former ministers and of course government officials and clinical directors and clinical advisers, so that’s my expectation.”
Former deputy first minister John Swinney was also named as a senior Scottish Government figure who had not retained WhatsApp data.
Last week, the UK Covid inquiry’s legal team said it believes the “majority” of WhatsApp messages shared among Scottish Government officials during the pandemic “have not been retained”.
As part of the inquiry, key decision makers - including ministers, former ministers and senior civil servants - have been asked to disclose communications, including those through informal channels such as Meta-owned WhatsApp, Microsoft Teams or Signal.
Yousaf ordered an investigation by Scotland’s Solicitor General after Jamie Dawson KC - the lead counsel in the Scotland module of the inquiry - told the hearing on Thursday that the Scottish Government has not yet handed over messages.
A spokesperson for the former first minister said: “Nicola will continue to provide all information requested by the inquiry that she holds and will continue to cooperate fully with both the UK and Scottish Covid inquiries.
“She has recently submitted her third written statement to the UK inquiry, running to around 200 pages, and expects to give oral evidence again next year when she will answer all questions put to her.”
Meanwhile, an SNP spokesperson said there had “never been any hesitation” by former senior ministers to “provide any and all information they hold, when appropriately and legally requested by the UK and Scottish inquiries, and they will continue to cooperate fully”.
“It would not be appropriate to comment further,” they added.
We told how ministers denied reports that Leith had deleted WhatsApp messages every day as the row over what had been disclosed to the inquiry escalated last week.
Deputy First Minister Shona Robison insisted that all record management guidance had been followed.
