WhatsApp Covid row: Bereaved families faith 'shaken' by reports Nicola Sturgeon WhatsApp messages were deleted

The UK Covid Inquiry has been told the data no longer exists, it has been reported

A woman who lost her mother and husband to Covid has said the faith of bereaved families in the inquiry process has been “shaken” by revelations that WhatsApp messages held by Nicola Sturgeon and other senior figures could have been deleted.

Margaret Waterton, a member of the Scottish Covid Bereaved Group, described it as “most disappointing” to hear the UK Covid Inquiry had been told the data held during the pandemic no longer exists.

It comes as it was confirmed Deputy First Minister Shona Robison would seek to make a statement to Parliament on the issue early this week due to “the interest in this specific request from the UK Covid-19 inquiry”.

Messages held by First Minister Humza Yousaf and former deputy first minister John Swinney are among those that have also reportedly not been retained. Former health secretary Jeane Freeman is reported to have handed over some messages, but national clinical director, Professor Jason Leitch, is alleged to have deleted WhatsApp messages from throughout the pandemic.

The Scotsman has asked the Scottish Government to clarify why the messages no longer exist, and when they were deleted.

Pressed for clarity, a spokeswoman for Ms Sturgeon said: “Nicola will continue to provide all information requested by the inquiry that she holds and will continue to co-operate fully with both the UK and Scottish Covid inquiries. She has recently submitted her third written statement to the UK inquiry – running to around 200 pages – and expects to give oral evidence again next year when she will answer all questions put to her.”

Ms Waterton, who is hoping to get answers on how decisions were made during the pandemic at a governmental level, told the BBC's Sunday Show: "It's most disappointing to have this situation where really important information appears not to be coming forward to the UK inquiry.

Former first minister Nicola Sturgeon joins Scottish political party leaders as they take part in a motion of condolence for The Duke of Edinburgh amid the Covid pandemic in 2021. Picture: Jeff J Mitchell - Pool/Getty Images

"We need that information so that we feel we are getting full answers, we're getting to the truth, we understand the decision-making process that was going on at the time, and that lessons can be learned going forward."

Asked about concerns over missing WhatsApp messages, she added: "I think it has shaken our faith in the process, but what we are confident about is we've witnessed Baroness Hallett … who chairs the UK Covid Inquiry, bringing every power that she has to bear to make sure that every piece of relevant information is brought forward.”

Ms Sturgeon had given her personal “assurance” during a Covid briefing in 2021 that she and the Scottish Government would disclose any WhatsApp messages or private emails to a public inquiry.

The UK Covid-19 Inquiry’s legal team has said it believes the “majority” of WhatsApp messages shared among Scottish Government officials during the pandemic “have not been retained”.

Nicola Sturgeon. Picture: Jane Barlow/pool/Getty Images

As part of the inquiry, key decision makers – including ministers, former ministers and senior civil servants – have been asked to disclose communications, including those through informal channels such as Meta-owned WhatsApp, Microsoft Teams or Signal.

Scottish Labour has written to Permanent Secretary John-Paul Marks asking for an urgent update on the state of data retention in the Scottish Government.

Jackie Baillie, Scottish Labour deputy leader, said: “These bombshell revelations call into question what the SNP Government is trying to hide. Humza Yousaf said his government would co-operate fully with the Covid inquiries, but this promise has been left in tatters.”

Mr Yousaf previously ordered an investigation by Scotland’s Solicitor General after Jamie Dawson KC – the lead counsel in the Scotland module of the inquiry – told a hearing on Thursday the Scottish Government has not yet handed over messages.

But a note to the inquiry from Mr Dawson and its legal team, published on Thursday evening, said it understands the majority of messages may have been deleted.

The note said: “Given the potential significance of any such material, and in order to provide a clearer statement of the position, the Scottish Government has been asked to provide a full update on its position and that of all relevant Scottish Government witnesses as regards to their use of WhatsApps and their current availability for disclosure.

“It is currently understood that although WhatsApps appear to have been used to send messages relating to and surrounding key decisions by some members of Scottish Government, the majority of the messages have not been retained by witnesses.”

Scottish Greens co-leader Lorna Slater, who became a government minister in August 2021, insisted she does not use WhatsApp for government business.

She said: “All government correspondence goes through official channels. We have very secure government devices where all that work is done and therefore it can be monitored and can be shared out under FOI [Freedom of Information] and other transparency procedures as is needed.”

Asked if ministers had been told to delete WhatsApp messages, Ms Slater said: “There has been no advice on that because it is not used for government business.”

A Scottish Government said it was “wholly committed to co-operating fully with the Covid-19 inquiries”. A spokesperson said: “More than 13,000 documents from the official record have been sent to the UK inquiry from the Scottish Government, in addition to the corporate and personal statements requested. Providing the formal decision-making record has been our priority.

“The UK inquiry has subsequently asked for WhatsApp messages relating to logistics and day-to-day communication, which we are working to provide.”