Ministers questioned over Police Scotland 'spying' claims

Police Scotland has refused to confirm or deny whether it is one of the forces alleged to have breaching 'spying' regulations

Scottish ministers are being asked to clarify whether Police Scotland "spied" on journalists and their sources.

Scottish Labour will lay a motion at Holyrood calling for "full transparency" on the issue.

Last month an official surveillance watchdog said two un-named UK forces undertook such activities.

The regulator has not identified the forces but it has been claimed that Police Scotland is one of them.

The Sunday Herald newspaper claimed the force's Counter Corruption Unit used spying powers to uncover a journalist's sources without getting judicial approval.

The Interception of Communications Commissioner's Office said it was investigating possible breaches of the code of practice at two forces but would not name them while its inquiry was ongoing.

Police Scotland has refused to confirm or deny it is under investigation. The Scottish government says obtaining communications data is a matter reserved to the UK government.

But a motion from Scottish Labour calls for "full transparency" from Scottish ministers over what they knew about the allegations.

Labour's justice spokesman Hugh Henry told the BBC's Good Morning Scotland programme: "We are asking the Scottish government what they know. We are asking Police Scotland what they know.

"If it's true, we cannot have a police force breaking the rules yet no-one is told and no-one can hold them to account.

"Let's get the facts on the table. Either tell us they did it or tell us they didn't."

Mr Henry said some requests for police surveillance did come before Scottish ministers for approval.

"I remember that when I was justice minister requests for phone tapping regularly came to the justice minister and sometimes to the first minister. So it can happen.

"That's not the point. If Police Scotland has been breaking the rules, then Police Scotland is responsible to the Scottish government and the Scottish Parliament."

Last month First Minister Nicola Sturgeon wrote to David Cameron seeking assurances that the UK's intelligence agencies were not spying on MSPs.

It followed reports that a ban on the tapping of politicians' phones by GCHQ was no longer being applied to members of the devolved parliaments.