Not one person is being prosecuted for failing to return Scottish Census forms, it has emerged.
Refuseniks who did not fill in details about everyone who was in their home on census night were warned they risked being taken to court and fined up to £1000.
Despite the threat, almost 300,000 people failed to complete the forms on time, even though the deadline was extended by more than a month.
Final figures published by National Registers of Scotland show the completion rate was 86.6 per cent – far short of the 94 per cent needed for the information-gathering exercise to be considered a success and 10 percentage points below the response rate in the rest of the UK.
The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) confirmed yesterday no prosecutions were being pursued.
A spokesman said: “We can advise that no cases have been reported to COPFS from National Records Scotland at this time.”
Opposition politicians said the lack of prosecutions was further proof the SNP had mishandled the census.
Tory MSP Sharon Dowey said: “It’s hardly surprising no legal action has been taken. Prosecutors would hardly know where to begin when almost 300,000 households failed to respond to the SNP’s woefully mishandled census.’
Critics said extending the deadline and sending canvassers door-to-door in a bid to increase the uptake cost taxpayers another £9.76million on top of the £138million initial bill.
The Scottish Government has been approached for comment.
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