Written Question · S2W-25858 · Session 2
What contact has been made with Mr John MacLeod in respect of the two fingerprint reports he submitted to the Executive since its settlemen…
The question
To ask the Scottish Executive what contact has been made with Mr John MacLeod in respect of the two fingerprint reports he submitted to the Executive since its settlement with Shirley McKie and since the Minister for Justice announced that the reports would not be released into the public domain or made available to the ongoing Parliamentary inquiry; who instigated that contact; what the nature was of that contact; what persons made that contact and on whose behalf; what information was exchanged during that contact, and whether Mr MacLeod was at any stage warned either verbally, by letter or in any other way that, should he release the reports, divulge their contents or give evidence about them, he would be sued or otherwise have official or unofficial action taken against him.
The answer
Communications betweensolicitors and expert witnesses are confidential. However, I made clear in myletter of 22 May 2006 to the Convener of the Justice 1 Committee that the Executive had not imposed any new constraints on Mr MacLeod and was seekingmerely to maintain the standard approach to confidentiality that is implicit atthe outset in all work of this type. A copy of that letter is available at:
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/committees/justice1/papers-06/j1p06-19.pdf.
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/committees/justice1/papers-06/j1p06-19.pdf.
In the Official Report
No contribution in the Official Report cites S2W-25858 by reference.