By Ben Kerrigan-
Scotland’s Chief Medical Officer, Prof Gregor Smith(pictured) has told the UK Covid Inquiry that he routinely deleted WhatsApp messages “every day” during the pandemic, prompting concerns about transparency and accountability.
Prof Smith defended his actions, stating that he erased his messages in accordance with government policy, emphasizing that any significant information related to definitive decision-making was documented via email.
The revelation came to light during the ongoing inquiry into the handling of the Covid-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom. Prof Smith, who assumed the role of interim chief medical officer in April 2020, succeeded Catherine Calderwood after her resignation for violating Covid rules.
The inquiry displayed WhatsApp messages between Prof Smith and Prof Graham Ellis, an expert in geriatric medicine and clinical adviser to the chief medical officer.
In one message exchange from July 2021, Prof Ellis humorously inquired about the freedom of information (FOI) status of their chat. Prof Smith responded with a directive to delete messages at the end of every day, leading to laughter emojis from Prof Ellis.
Prof Smith defended his actions, asserting that he captured important information through the email system to create an auditable trail. He maintained that while he deleted unnecessary WhatsApp messages frequently, information on the official system was reserved for definitive decisions.
Prof Smith emphasized the importance of adhering to government advice to regularly delete informal messages for security reasons.
The inquiry has raised concerns about potential breaches of freedom of information rules. David Hamilton, the Scottish Information Commissioner, expressed worry over the messages’ content and hinted at the possibility of launching an investigation.
Hamilton highlighted the critical role of FOI rules in ensuring democracy and accountability, emphasizing the need for public access to government decision-making processes.
The revelations regarding the deletion of messages extend beyond Prof Smith, as former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and her deputy, John Swinney, also faced scrutiny for their messaging practices. Sturgeon reportedly retained no messages, while Swinney’s WhatsApp messages were set to auto-delete.
The Scottish government defended its position, stating that it had implemented mobile messaging guidance for officials and ministers, allowing the use of WhatsApp for business purposes. The guidance mandated the transcription of salient points into official documents for record-keeping.