Chamber
Plenary, 22 Feb 2007
22 Feb 2007 · S2 · Plenary
Item of business
First Minister's Question Time
Blood Products (Public Inquiry)
Although I know that the Executive has already ruled out a public inquiry in Scotland, I wish to place on record my conviction that that stance is untenable. If there is a case to answer in England, there is a case to answer in Scotland.
I want to press the First Minister on the documents that he will release. Is he aware that the documents already obtained by me under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 make it evident that there is cross-border communication and that there are comparisons that are relevant to the British inquiry? Is he further aware that the Executive has withheld hundreds of documents?
Given that the majority of the events to be scrutinised by the inquiry happened under the United Kingdom Department of Health before devolution, will he clarify today that if the inquiry asks for it, the Executive will make available all information, ask all relevant public bodies to do the same and hand over all information that is held, including the hundreds of documents that the Executive has kept secret?
I want to press the First Minister on the documents that he will release. Is he aware that the documents already obtained by me under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 make it evident that there is cross-border communication and that there are comparisons that are relevant to the British inquiry? Is he further aware that the Executive has withheld hundreds of documents?
Given that the majority of the events to be scrutinised by the inquiry happened under the United Kingdom Department of Health before devolution, will he clarify today that if the inquiry asks for it, the Executive will make available all information, ask all relevant public bodies to do the same and hand over all information that is held, including the hundreds of documents that the Executive has kept secret?
In the same item of business
5. Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP):
SSP
To ask the First Minister whether the independent public inquiry into the contamination of blood products will have the support of the Scottish Executive in ...
The First Minister (Mr Jack McConnell):
Lab
The Executive has already made public all available relevant material that it holds, and will make that information available to Lord Archer's inquiry on req...
Carolyn Leckie:
SSP
Although I know that the Executive has already ruled out a public inquiry in Scotland, I wish to place on record my conviction that that stance is untenable....
The First Minister:
Lab
Not only have we already made available all the relevant material, we did so in advance of any necessity to do so under the Freedom of Information (Scotland)...