At present, ministers and their staff can see market-sensitive data a day before it becomes public while they can see less sensitive publications five days before the public.

But opposition MSPs have claimed the extra time allows ministers to launch “spin operations” and affect reporting of the data.

A new bill seeks, however, to end the practice and bring Scotland into line with the rest of the UK.

Labour MSP Jackie Baillie said: “For too long SNP ministers have got away with trying to bend statistics to suit their narrow political agenda.

“The excellent work of the country’s leading statisticians is being weaponised by the SNP before they have even been published.

“This bill proposal will seek to put a stop to that and bring the SNP government into line with best practice on statistical publications around the UK.”

She added: “The fact that the SNP was the only party not supporting the bill proposal in committee tells its own story.

“What is it that they have to hide by letting the public and journalists receive statistics at the same time as them?

“Scottish Labour MSPs will support this bill proposal as it begins its journey through the Parliament.”

A Scottish government spokesman said: “Pre-release access is consistent with the Code of Practice for Statistics which states that it should be in line with the rules and principles set out in legislation.

“Indeed, UK government departments provide pre-release access to their statistics in a similar way to the Scottish government.

“Pre-release access is a matter for the chief statistician and the independence of his role is crucial.

“Any proposal to curtail access would cut across his ability to ensure the key figures about Scotland are properly communicated and understood.”