MSPs want to limit ministers' early sight of statistics
A Scottish Parliament committee has published a bill that would restrict the access that Scottish Government ministers and officials have to key economic data ahead oil its release.
MSPs on the Economy, Energy & Fair Work Committee have come to the majority view that the practice of early access to statistics on GDP and the Retail Sales Index for Scotland should end. Under their Pre-Release Access to Official Statistics (Scotland) Bill, ministers would have no advance sight of official figures in either of these categories, and for other types of economic data where five working days are currently allowed, this would be reduced to one working day.
The bill also provides for a phased approach and an independent review of the impact of the changes.
Committee convener Gordon Lindhurst MSP explained: "Equal access and earliest release are the principles at the heart of this committee bill.
"The collection of data, on the face of it, can be viewed as a niche issue. However it is a fundamental cog in the decision making in Government, in business, in social policy, in the press, and in the public mind and that is why the committee has drafted this bill with its aims and objectives."
He added: "The great majority of statistics experts who gave evidence to the committee were agreed that the practice of pre-release access for Government ministers, now ended elsewhere in the UK by the ONS and Bank of England, should not continue in Scotland.
"The Committee decided to take action after the Scottish Government chose not to change its view on the matter."
Holyrood committees have the power to put forward proposed bills, though it is not often exercised. The committee gained the right to introduce the present bill following the Parliament’s vote in favour of its draft proposal report in September last year. The Scottish Government has sought to maintain the present practice, and SNP members on the committee dissented from the proposal.
The bill does not remove any right of access of ministers that is currently enjoyed by UK Government departments, or alter the position regarding non-economic statistics such as those relating to health or education. The committee also emphasised that it does not call into question the integrity or professionalism of Scottish Government statisticians or other civil servants.