The First Minister last week said that the ONS are not able to give a definitive ruling until contracts are signed in relation to project proposals, but it is the case that they are able to give a provisional ruling on classification. I’m relying here, Cabinet Secretary, on the ONS official guidance on the classification process, which says:

ONS is occasionally asked to provide classification advice on policy proposals so that the government can understand how these proposals would be treated in the national accounts… Any classification decision based on a near-final policy proposal will be deemed as “provisional” and dependent on the proposal being implemented as described.’

So, my question, Cabinet Secretary, is this: did the Government, in relation to this project, seek not general advice as to the risk of a classification, but a provisional ruling, as set out under section 6, Government policy proposals, of the ONS classification process guidelines?