Scottish Government covid adviser Gregor Smith told colleagues to delete WhatsApp texts 'every day'

A top adviser to the Scottish Government during the coronavirus pandemic told colleagues to delete their WhatsApp conversations on a daily basis, an inquiry has heard.Professor Gregor Smith, Scotland's chief medical officer, was giving evidence in Edinburgh today at the latest session of the UK Covid Inquiry.It comes as SNP ministers and senior Holyrood civil servants face a growing secrecy row over why countless electronic communications on lockdown decision-making were deleted.Smith became a familiar face to millions of Scots during the global health crisis in 2020 and 2021 by regularly appearing alongside Nicola Sturgeon at covid media briefings.The UK Covid Inquiry is examining how Westminster and devolved governments responded to the coronavirus pandemic.But the issue of WhatsApp messages not being retained for later examination has become the source of a major political row.Smith was shown a transcript of a WhatsApp conversation with Graham Ellis, a civil servant, in 2021.Ellis said he hoped the chat was "not FOI-able" - a reference to the Freedom of Information Act which allows the public access to government documents.Smith responded: "Delete at the end of every day"Ellis replied with a laughing emoji and a thumbs up.The exchange was sparked by one of the topics of the call being cannabis and Ellis joking that he has his own supply.Asked by the Inquiry if it was his practice to delete messages at the end of every day, Smith replied: "Scottish Government advice in relation to this was not to retain information for longer than it was necessary, it was to make sure that any information that was pertinent was saved."Any discussions which ended up in a decision was captured within the corporate system."So my practice