MOST newspapers and media organisations make the most of their “scoops” when their journalists get hold of information leaked by a source.

But the BBC appeared to go one step further than that when delivering what seemed like a bombshell report in October on news that the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) was considering cutting jobs and closing fire stations “according to documents seen by the BBC”.

The BBC website version of the story – which was seized on by Labour and used to spark a debate in the Scottish Parliament – said “management documents leaked to the BBC [our italics] talked of reducing urban fire stations and cutting firefighter numbers.”

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However, the SFRS says the information was available publicly on its website – and therefore it did not believe there had been any leak. The BBC said it stood by its story.

The article continued: “Papers circulated to senior Scottish Fire and Rescue Service management said the current model could not last beyond the end of the financial year …

“An internal fire service management document, seen by the BBC, states: ‘The Scottish Fire Service is operating against a backdrop of both significantly changing risks and the greatest financial challenges seen in decades.’”

Labour MSP Claire Baker, the party’s spokeswoman on SFRS matters, persuaded Holyrood presiding officer Ken Macintosh to allow her to ask an urgent question – only the second in this session of Parliament – in the main chamber later that day.

The ensuing debate gave the BBC’s “scoop” some credibility even though Annabelle Ewing, Minister for Community Safety and Legal Affairs, had to come to the chamber and point out that, actually, no decisions had been taken on any matters in the “transformation” of the SFRS – a process which has been under way for some months and will continue for several more.

Normally when there is a “leak” in a government agency, an inquiry is held to find the source. However, the SFRS told The National: “The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service does not consider the information reported in the media on Wednesday, October 25, to be confidential or unfit for public consumption and is not being treated as a leak. This is not considered to be a leak – as such there is no inquiry.

“The information is readily avail- able to around 8000 SFRS staff on the service’s internal intranet and publicly on the SFRS website, and has been for some time.

“Additionally, the SFRS has addressed the subject of service transformation in national and broadcast media on several occasions in recent months, and has been open and transparent on the need [for a transformation] and what that would entail.”

Some of the BBC quotes bore a strong resemblance to material that had been on the SFRS website since September 29, and in certain cases were the same.

Asked if there was any information in the BBC reports that was not already in the public domain, the Service replied: “No – SFRS has been open and transparent on the need to transform with all 8000 of its staff and the public.”

So why was information that was in the public domain and had already been shared with staff described as a “leak”, and presented as something that the SFRS didn’t want to make public?

Pat Watters is chairman of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service Board. He told The National: “We were very disappointed to see a concerted effort to speak openly and honestly with our staff being positioned as something completely different.

“This has led to certain false claims being repeated within the Scottish Parliament and other forums which has caused a great deal of confusion and uncertainty for our staff and communities.

“The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service is leading by example within the public sector in Scotland in setting out an inspiring vision for the future.

“Our vision is one that will enable us to do so much more for the people of Scotland and that is why it is outlined on our public website, and indeed has been for some time.

“We have a simple choice – we transform and enable our firefighters to do so much more for our communities or stay the same and leave them exposed to new risks. In return for this new role, our valued firefighters would receive a significantly improved recognition package.

“We once again reach out and ask the FBU [Fire Brigades Union] in Scotland to enter into discussions that will deliver outcomes that are not only in the best interests of our firefighters but also of our commun- ities. The solution we are proposing will ensure the combined resources of the UK’s largest fire and rescue service are in the right place, at the right time – despite the greatest public finance challenges in decades.

“No decisions have yet been made. It is right that we have a conversation with our staff – and also with our communities.”

According to Baker it doesn’t matter that Parliament and the presiding officer were at the least misled about the nature of the “scoop”. She said: “The matter here is not how this information become public, but the nature of the cuts faced by our fire service from the SNP Government.”

A BBC spokesman said: “We stand by our reporting of this story which was in the public interest. The story contained information which originated from documents that were not in the public domain but were leaked to our correspondent from a source.”