Row over Michael Moore’s 7-month delay in giving an answer

SCOTTISH Secretary Michael Moore has been reprimanded by the Information Commissioner for a seven-month delay in answering questions about whether he had held talks on the Act of Settlement.

The answer to a Freedom of Information request from Labour MP Tom Greatrex came after an internal review on 1 July, 2011, when it should have been given by 30 November, 2010 under FOI rules – which meant the department had missed eight deadlines.

The Act of Settlement is an issue in Scotland because it prevents a Roman Catholic from ascending to the throne.

The commissioner ruled it was wrong to wait for the internal review to give a proper answer and highlighted that they should be given within 20 days of the request being made.

Mr Greatrex said: “Yet again, the Information Commissioner is damning of the cavalier disregard Michael Moore has shown for freedom of information. At the same time as ministerial colleagues were discussing reforms to the Act of Settlement, Michael Moore said nothing yet again.”

A Scotland Office spokesman said: “This is simply another in a series of manufactured attacks without any foundation. The ruling makes it abundantly clear the Scotland Office was correct in its approach and only takes issue with the timescale taken to communicate that position.