Publication - FOI/EIR release

Sweden visit by Ash Denham, Minister for Community Safety FOI release

Published: 3 October 2019
Directorate: Justice Directorate
Part of: Law and order, Public sector
FOI reference: FOI/201900003746
Date received: 4 September 2019
Date responded: 2 October 2019

Information request and response under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002.

Information requested

Ash Denham, Minister for Community Safety visited Sweden on the 23rd of August this year. The purpose of the trip was to learn more about Sweden's approach to inform conversations on how vulnerable women in prostitution can be best supported in Scotland.
Please can I have the following information -
1) Details of who attended the trip to Sweden with the Minister for Community Safety.
2) The total cost of the trip to Sweden.
3) All communications between the Office of Ash Denham and Swedish authorities in relation to the trip.
4) All minutes of meetings regarding this trip to Sweden.

Response

I enclose a copy of the information you requested.

The response to your request is as follows:
1. The Minister for Community Safety was invited to attend the trip to Sweden as part of a cross-party group. Details of other attendees are attached.
While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance we are unable to provide some of the information you have requested because an exemption(s) under section(s) s.38(1)(b) (personal information) of FOISA applies to that information. The reasons why that exemption applies are explained in the Annex to this letter

2. The delegates from other organisations were responsible for their own expenses, and so these costs are not held by the Scottish Government.
The costs associated with the two Scottish Government supporting officials who supported the Minister on the trip was £1,185.46.
The Scottish Government proactively publishes information on Ministerial engagements overseas, including costs, and once the information on this visit has been finalized it will be published online at:
https://www.gov.scot/search/?q=ministerial+engagements
While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance we are unable to provide the information you have requested because an exemption under section 27(1) (information intended for future publication) of FOISA applies to that information.

3. Communications between the Office of Ash Denham and Swedish authorities in relation to the trip are attached
While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance we are unable to provide some of the information you have requested because an exemption(s) under section(s) s.38(1)(b) (personal information) of FOISA applies to that information. The reasons why that exemption applies are explained in the Annex to this letter.

4. Minutes of meetings regarding this trip to Sweden are attached.
While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance we are unable to provide some of the information you have requested because an exemption under section s.38(1)(b) (personal information) of FOISA applies to that information. The reasons why that exemption applies are
explained in the Annex to this letter.

Annex
Reasons for Exemption
An exemption(s) under section(s) Section 27(1) – information intended for future publication FOISA
applies to some of the information you have requested. An exemption under section 27(1) of FOISA applies to some of the information requested because we intend to publish that information within 12 weeks of the date of your request. We consider that it is reasonable to withhold the information until that date, rather than release this routinely published information before the planned publication date.
This information will be published on gov.scot/publications.
An exemption under section 38(1)(b) (personal data) of FOISA applies to a very small part of the information you have requested which has been redacted. This relates to individuals' names. It is exempt from release because it is personal data and its release would contravene the data protection principles in Schedule 1 to the Data Protection Act 1998.
This exemption is not subject to the 'public interest test', so we are not required to consider if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exemption.

About FOI

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at http://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.