A SCOTTISH government agency was condemned today for unlawfully keeping the extent of Covid-19 care-home deaths a secret. 

The National Records of Scotland (NRS) was found to have breached freedom of information (FoI) legislation by refusing to release the number of confirmed and suspected coronavirus-related deaths in each of Scotland’s care homes.

After a probe carried out as part of a joint project by the Scotsman, the Herald, DC Thomson and STV, the Scottish Information Commissioner ruled that NRS had used arguments that were “speculative in nature” to block the release of statistics. 

The commissioner said the agency’s efforts to stop the publication of care home death numbers had involved time-wasting shuffling between care-sector bodies, and the commissioner’s office ruled that the NRS had failed to comply with FoI legislation.

NRS has now said it will make the data available in line with FoI legislation, with the probe finding a number of arguments to refuse requests had been flawed and speculative. 

The commissioner’s office also rejected the argument that the data would be “too complex and would fail to tell the full story of the deaths.”

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar described the cover-up as utterly shameful. He said: “This is another devastating blow for the care home residents and families who have been denied justice.

“Those responsible must be held accountable and lessons must be learned. We need a Scottish public inquiry without delay.”

Further increases in coronavirus cases in parts of Scotland saw tighter restrictions due to be lifted continue in some parts of the country today. 

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon confirmed that Glasgow will remain in level three of Scotland’s coronavirus restrictions for a further week before review but Moray, which was the first local authority area to be held back, will now move down to level two. 

Public health experts have warned an outbreak in East Renfrewshire, which has seen case numbers overtake Glasgow, may need tougher measures to help get the surge in cases under control quicker despite being “painful” for the community. 

Professor Devi Sridhar of the University of Edinburgh said that while it is a tough trade-off, bringing in restrictions sooner rather than later could mean they do not have to drag on into the summer.