Asylum seeker transfers: FOI release
Information request and response under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002
Information requested
1. All correspondence – including reports, documents, papers, emails and letters sent between the Scottish Government and Glasgow City Council in relation to the transfer of asylum seekers in Glasgow from dispersed accommodation to hotels.
2. All records related to the meetings (including video conference and telephone calls) which have taken place between the Scottish Government and Glasgow City Council since Friday June 26 2020 – including all minutes, agendas, written notes, action lists arising from the meetings, and any other records or information. [Clarification: in relation to all meetings concerning transfer of asylum seekers in Glasgow from dispersed accommodation to hotels for that time period.]
3. All correspondence – including reports, documents, papers, emails and letters sent between the Scottish Government and the Home Office in relation to the transfer of asylum seekers in Glasgow from dispersed accommodation to hotels.
4. All records related to the meetings (including video conference and telephone calls) which have taken place between the Scottish Government and the Home Office since Friday June 26 2020 – including all minutes, agendas, written notes, action lists arising from the meetings, and any other records or information. [Clarification: in relation to all meetings concerning transfer of asylum seekers in Glasgow from dispersed accommodation to hotels for that time period.]
5. All correspondence – including reports, documents, papers, emails and letters sent between the Scottish Government and NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde in relation to the transfer of asylum seekers in Glasgow from dispersed accommodation to hotels.
6. All records related to the meetings (including video conference and telephone calls) which have taken place between the Scottish Government and NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde since Friday June 26 2020 – including all minutes, agendas, written notes, action lists arising from the meetings, and any other records or information. [Clarification: in relation to all meetings concerning transfer of asylum seekers in Glasgow from dispersed accommodation to hotels for that time period.]
Response
I enclose a copy of some of the information you requested. A search of our records identified eight documents which are within the scope of your request for release. Five letters which are being released in full and three documents which are a partial release due to information contained which is subject to section 38(1) of FOISA.
Some of the information you have requested is already accessible. A letter relevant to your request has been released under a previous FOISA request and is available from https://www.gov.scot/publications/foi-202000049511/
Under section 25(1) of FOISA, we do not have to give you information which is already reasonably accessible to you. If, however, you do not have internet access to obtain this information from the website listed, then please contact me again and I will send you a paper copy.
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 exemptions under sections 28, 30(b)(i), 30(b) (ii), 30(c) and 38(1)(b) of FOISA apply to that information. The reasons why those exemptions apply are explained in the Annex to this letter.
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.
Contact
Please quote the FOI reference
Central Enquiry Unit
Email: ceu@gov.scot
Phone: 0300 244 4000
The Scottish Government
St Andrews House
Regent Road
Edinburgh
EH1 3DG
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