A senior civil servant, who was involved in the deletion of Covid-related WhatsApp messages, has retired with a pension of £1.4 million. Ken Thomson, a former Director General for Strategy and External Affairs in the Scottish Government, was awarded a CBE despite his role in a scandal during Nicola Sturgeon’s time as First Minister. The deletion of messages during the pandemic sparked controversy, with accusations of a cover-up by families of Covid victims.
Thomson, in a WhatsApp group named ‘Covid Outbreak’, advised colleagues on how to delete messages in order to avoid Freedom of Information (FOI) requests. The messages, retrieved by the UK Covid Inquiry, revealed Thomson’s involvement in encouraging the deletion of messages. Despite the backlash and inquiries, Thomson retired last year and received a CBE in the New Year’s Honours List.
According to the latest Scottish Government accounts, Thomson and five other senior civil servants have pension benefits exceeding £1 million. Thomson’s pension of £1.4 million is estimated to provide him with around £70,000 annually. Critics have condemned this revelation, with Scottish Lib Dem leader Alex Cole-Hamilton stating that while Thomson enjoys a lavish retirement, families of Covid victims are still seeking answers.
The Scottish Government asserted that the pay and pensions framework for Senior Civil Servants is under the jurisdiction of the UK Government. The controversy surrounding the deletion of Covid-related messages and the subsequent retirement benefits of senior officials have raised concerns among the public and political figures.
In summary, the revelation of a senior civil servant retiring with a substantial pension after being embroiled in a deletion scandal has sparked outrage and calls for accountability. The situation highlights the importance of transparency and ethical conduct within government institutions, especially during times of crisis such as the Covid-19 pandemic.