Openness, transparency and citizen participation are at the heart of a new National Action Plan to strengthen co-operation between government and wider society.

Strangely, this message from the government comes hard on the heels of cover-up after cover-up on major issues such as the ferries calamity on the Clyde and so much more.

Scotland’s Open Government Action Plan 2021-25, has been drawn up with Scotland’s Open Government Network – a coalition of citizens and civil society organisations.

It will focus on involving people in decisions on making data open and accessible across key areas of government and understanding how public finances work.

It will, say the SNP,  also allow people to participate in decision making on tackling the climate emergency and improving health and social care.

A key first step in this Action Plan is the publication of the Institutionalising Participatory and Deliberative Democracy (IPDD) Working Group report.

How’s that for an easy and accessible name for this working group?

The group was set up, the SNP say, to respond to the need for new infrastructure and processes to make sure people can routinely be involved in government decisions and to set up new Citizens’ Assemblies.

Their recommendations include identifying how participatory processes have impact, independence and accountability; and providing guidance on how to design and run Citizens’ Assemblies.

Minister for Parliamentary Business and Co-Chair of the Open Government Steering Group, George Adam said:  “This Action Plan sets out our most ambitious commitments yet to create an open, transparent and accountable government, strengthening public trust in our institutions, producing better public services and a better quality of life for everyone.

“I am confident the commitments in the plan will continue to drive improvement to ensure decision-making is open and accessible to the people of Scotland and that we enable meaningful public scrutiny.

“Tackling the climate emergency and improving health and social care are huge challenges faced by government and I believe that working in partnership with wider society and the people of Scotland will help improve these vital programmes of work.

“I also welcome the publication of the IPDD Working Group report, which will help us deliver on this Action Plan and other commitments we have made to putting people at heart of everything we do. We will now carefully consider its recommendations before publishing our response in due course.”

Civil society Co-Chair of the Open Government Steering Group, and member of OGP International Steering Committee, Lucy McTernan said:

“Accountability and trust in our government has never been more important, as we see it undermined around the world. I am delighted the Scottish Government and COSLA officials, civil society partners and people across Scotland have contributed to the development of this plan.

“Retaining this spirit of collaboration and partnership working throughout the delivery of the plan will be crucial to its success and we look forward to developing these relationships over the next four years.”

Willie Sullivan, Senior Director of Electoral Reform Society Scotland, said:  “Scotland is already pioneering important ways to give people more of a say in the decisions that affect them, such as through citizens’ assemblies.

“We are part of a small group of countries leading the way in exploring how to move beyond the creaking democratic institutions of the 20th century and how to break through into a new era of revitalised and invigorated democracy.

“This report sets out the plan to lay strong foundations for the future of Scotland’s democracy; for the old to give birth to and nurture the new.”

The Scottish Government’s Open Government Action Plan 2021-25.

The Institutionalising Participatory and Deliberative Democracy (IPDD) Working Group report.

The IPDD Working Group was set up to respond to the need for new infrastructure and processes to make sure people can routinely be involved in government decisions and to set up new Citizens’ Assemblies.

The Scottish Government is part of the international Open Government Partnership – set up in 2011 to ensure members of the public understand decisions that affect them and can influence those decisions.

The Open Government Partnership includes 78 countries and 76 local governments representing more than two billion people along with thousands of civil society organisations.

The current National Action Plan is the third published by the Scottish Government since it joined the partnership in 2016.

The Action Plan commits to involving the public in key decisions, ensuring information is published in an accessible way and promoting financial transparency.

An independent reporter will be appointed to monitor progress and report back on whether the plan has been delivered by network members and other public organisations.

In West Dunbartonshire we have had groups of people stopped trying to get into council meetings and a journalist banned from talking to “communications” staff. There appears to be no Open Government Partnership operating around here. Editor

This extract from the official report of the Scottish Parliament illustrates clearly that “open government” is a myth in Scottish politics: 

• Stephen Kerr (Central Scotland) (Con):

  Over the weekend, there were some extraordinary revelations from former Scottish Government economic adviser Jim McColl regarding his company being awarded ferry contracts by the Scottish Government. McColl told The Sunday Times:

  “The audit report has revealed we were given the contract for political purposes. Everything was about the optics and timing the announcements for political gain.”

  That claim has been supported by a senior Scottish National Party source, who said:  “It was all done and dusted to give a big conference headline … for … Nicola’s first Holyrood election as leader.”

  Following those reports, I wrote to the Minister for Parliamentary Business twice, requesting that a statement be made by the First Minister tomorrow on the unraveling scandal. I received no responses to my emails, but the minister confirmed at the Business Bureau meeting today that the First Minister would not be delivering a statement.

  On Thursday, in response to questions from Douglas Ross on the issue, the First Minister said: “The buck stops with me.”—[Official Report, 24 March 2022; c 12.]  Those words now ring hollow.

• John Mason (Glasgow Shettleston) (SNP):

  Nonsense.

• Stephen Kerr:

  The member might say, “Nonsense,” but those words ring hollow—[Interruption.] Exactly—she more likely meant “passing the buck”.

  My amendment would insert a statement as the first item of tomorrow afternoon’s business, at which time I know the First Minister is available.

  I expect that SNP members will vote against my amendment—on what is nothing more than cover-up orders from their boss, while they further their plans to throw former ministers under the bus. I hope, however, that all other members of the Scottish Parliament, including members of the Scottish Greens, find the backbone to stand up to the SNP’s secret Scotland and back my amendment. It is time we had answers.

  I move amendment S6M-03853.2, to insert after “business for”:

• Neil Bibby (West Scotland) (Lab):

  My amendment to the business motion would also insert in this week’s business a statement from the First Minister on ferry procurement.

  The ferry procurement disaster is one of the biggest public procurement disasters of the past 20 years. Ferries for Scotland’s islands are five years late and two and a half times over budget.

  

  

  Nicola Sturgeon and Derek Mackay – “thrown under a bus”.

  As the Audit Scotland report makes clear, there is a lot of blame to go round. Last week, the First Minister tried to blame Derek Mackay for the enormous risk to which the taxpayer was exposed, and today Kate Forbes tried to pin all the blame elsewhere. It is clear that only a public inquiry will get to the bottom of all this.

  However, right now, the Scottish Government is ultimately responsible for the promises that it made to islanders and the Ferguson Marine workforce, and it is the First Minister who is ultimately responsible for the Scottish Government. That is why, at the weekend, Opposition parties called for the First Minister to give an urgent statement on the matter.

  Yesterday, Nicola Sturgeon said:  “I have no hesitation in answering any and all questions.”

  My amendment would provide her with the opportunity to do so.

  When the First Minister was asked whether she had given the go-ahead to ignore Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd, she said:  “I didn’t say ‘don’t go ahead’”.

  That explanation is simply not good enough. In the midst of a cost of living crisis, Scottish taxpayers are paying the costs of this Government’s failure. The First Minister must make the statement. Nicola Sturgeon needs to clarify the Government’s decision-making process in ignoring CMAL. She needs to clarify the Cabinet’s role, Keith Brown’s role, John Swinney’s role and her role in that decision.

  It is one of the principal duties of the Parliament to hold the Government to account. Therefore, it is our duty to get to the bottom of what went wrong and how this fiasco unfolded.

  The First Minister is very good at proclaiming—repeatedly—that she is ultimately responsible and takes responsibility. The place in which she should take responsibility is this chamber.

  We need openness, honesty and transparency. We cannot afford secrecy and cover-up, and it would be scandalous if Nicola Sturgeon’s party’s members and the Greens used their votes to block a statement from the First Minister this week.