Newly released documents reveal that Scottish civil servants who accessed pornography on government-issued devices did not face formal disciplinary action. Official data had previously indicated that websites like Pornhub were accessed on these devices, but officials admitted that no cases were escalated to formal human resources disciplinary procedures.
This suggests that individuals caught accessing inappropriate content may have received informal reprimands from their line managers. The initial revelations came to light following a Freedom of Information (FOI) request by the Scottish Mail on Sunday last year, which found that government devices had been used to access Pornhub and online betting sites.
The controversy emerges amidst ongoing debate surrounding remote working within Scotland's civil service, as ministers have faced criticism regarding low office attendance among staff who continue to work remotely for significant portions of their week.
Scottish Conservative justice spokesman Stephen Kerr criticized the situation, drawing parallels to the controversy involving former SNP minister Michael Matheson, who incurred an £11,000 roaming bill on an iPad used during a holiday in Morocco. Matheson later stated that his teenage sons had used the parliamentary device to watch football, leading to the substantial data-roaming charges. He subsequently agreed to reimburse the Scottish Parliament and resigned as Health Secretary in 2024.
These new disclosures have prompted further questions about standards within the Scottish Government and whether staff faced any consequences for using taxpayer-funded equipment to view explicit material. The issue first surfaced after a Scottish Mail on Sunday FOI request in May of the previous year exposed that government staff had accessed Pornhub six times, while the betting sites Betfair and Paddy Power were accessed ten times within the preceding six months. Officials also acknowledged a high volume of attempts to access Netflix, so numerous that calculating the total would exceed FOI cost limits.
Critics argued that these findings raise serious concerns about productivity and oversight within the SNP Government’s civil service, particularly against the backdrop of the contentious debate over working from home and pressure to encourage more staff back into government offices. At the time, opponents suggested taxpayers would be dismayed that official equipment was being used for inappropriate websites while public sector payroll costs continued to escalate.
In response to inquiries about actions taken against civil servants found accessing pornography, the Scottish Government stated that minor infractions, including breaches of its IT Code of Conduct, are managed as part of line managers' daily responsibilities. The government noted that disciplinary engagements resolved by line managers are not centrally recorded. It further explained that more serious misconduct allegations are referred to central HR disciplinary procedures, which involve investigations and potential sanctions. However, the response confirmed that no such escalations were necessary concerning the subject of the inquiry during the specified period. The Scottish Mail on Sunday had sought details on staff disciplined for accessing pornography over the previous three financial years and the current financial year. The FOI response indicated that no formal disciplinary proceedings were initiated, despite prior government data recording access to Pornhub on official devices.
Officials had previously stated that any attempt to access pornographic material on official devices constituted a disciplinary matter. The FOI response also revealed that informal actions taken by line managers would not be included in central records. The Scottish Government also noted that IT logs are retained for only ten months. A spokesperson for the Scottish Government reiterated that under its discipline policy, line managers are expected to address concerns about inappropriate behavior promptly and, when appropriate, informally. They added that formal disciplinary procedures would be invoked for more serious allegations of misconduct.