THE solicitor for the Scottish Covid-19 bereaved Aamer Anwar has hit out the “disrespectful” lack of response on missing WhatsApp messages.

During the course of the UK Covid-19 inquiry, it emerged in October that potentially significant messages between Scottish ministers and senior officials sent during the pandemic may have been deleted, sparking fury from bereaved families.

Counsel to the UK inquiry noted: “Scottish government has been asked to provide a full update on its position.

“It is currently understood that although WhatsApps appear to have been used to send messages relating to and surrounding key decisions by some members of Scottish government, the majority of the messages have not been retained by witnesses.”

Despite the Scottish government taking the unusual step of requesting to be served with a statutory notice by the inquiry to release its own 14,000 messages still extant, it emerged that some 137 WhatsApp groups — involving up to 70 senior Scottish government ministers and senior Civil Service — had not “in the main” been retained.

As the UK inquiry continued, Mr Anwar said the cross-examination of UK ministers, with the aid of access to their messages, only “emphasised the need for truth and accountability from those in power during the pandemic.”

He slammed the lack of a reply to letters he wrote, on behalf of bereaved families, on October 27 and November 10 to First Minister Humza Yousaf demanding clarification on what had been deleted, by whom, and why it was permitted.

Mr Anwar said: “It is deeply disappointing and disrespectful that the Scottish Covid bereaved are yet to receive any detailed response to the letter written to the First Minister on the issue of WhatsApps.”

The Scottish government was contacted for comment.