October 20, 2005

You could be forgiven for thinking we are in the midst of investigating the greatest conspiracy that has surfaced in Scotland in generations. But efforts to get to the truth about the parliament's ongoing battle with the humble pigeon certainly seem to have got the mandarins in a flap as they dive for cover.

Using the Freedom of Information legislation, this newspaper requested details of correspondence circulated at Holyrood pertaining to the problem, which we have extensively reported. Complying with the request a 350-page dossier, spanning some five years, was duly delivered. But we are sad to report that little further light can be shed upon the deliberations as 250 pages of complaints, memos and reports have been blacked out, deemed to be unsuitable for public consumption. What dark secrets can they hide?

It would be somewhat humorous were it not for the fact that the Evening News attempted to obtain the information through FOI legislation passed by the parliament itself. The same legislation has been used to obtain details of MSPs' expenses, including hospitality and taxi claims, and even details of how many are taking advantage of a second mortgage to buy a flat in Edinburgh at the expense of the taxpayers. But it seems the line is drawn at pigeons.

But complying with its own legislation has also proved a thorny problem for the Executive, which in the first seven months of the FOI Act coming into effect turned down almost one-third of requests for information - totalling some 400 applications. The reasons for withholding information, as in this case, are many and sweeping. Too personal, too commercially sensitive, too expensive or "prejudicial to the effective conduct of public affairs", which broadly means too honest, in that publication of such detail would reveal people's real views on a variety of topics.

It's a pity, as the Act promised so much and offered hope of as near to open and transparent government as could be expected. But instead the Executive and parliament have been far from consistent in their approach, hiding behind any number of get-out clauses to avoid having to disclose what they do not wish the public to know.

Ironically the closest the country has yet come to honesty and openness since devolution was during the Fraser Inquiry, which pre-dated the Act coming into force, when confidential memos and details of behind-doors meetings were explored in great detail in an attempt to get to the bottom of the Holyrood overspend fiasco.

Let's hope police have been issued with plenty of biros

FINALLY we will come a step closer to discovering what the proof of the pudding really is with police now starting to crack down on motorists who flout the new regulations in the city centre.

After issuing gentle reminders and warning hundreds of hapless motorists caught up in the maze which is now the New Town, officers have been ordered to start handing out £30 fines to those who make wrong turnings or ignore new instructions on one of the 1000 traffic signs that have been erected. Even council leader Donald Anderson admitted in this newspaper last week he was somewhat bamboozled by some elements of the scheme. But still the council insists on enforcement. Let's hope police have been issued with plenty of biros. Early evidence suggests they will need them.