Correspondence with Victim Support Scotland and Victim Centred Approach Operational Group: FOI release

Information requested

You asked for:

1. Any written correspondence (or transcripts of verbal correspondence if possible) between Victim Support Scotland and the Scottish Government from 1 January 2020 to present regarding implementing the measures outlined in the Victims Taskforce workplan.
2. Any written correspondence (or transcripts of verbal correspondence if possible) between the Victim Centred Approach Operational Group and the Scottish Government from 1 January 2020 to present regarding implementing the measures outlined in the Victims Taskforce workplan.
3. Any written correspondence (or transcripts of verbal correspondence if possible) between the Victim Centred Approach Governance Group and the Scottish Government from 1 January 2020 to present regarding implementing the measures outlined in the Victims Taskforce workplan.

Response

I enclose a copy of most of the information you requested.

An exemption(s) under section(s) 38(1)(b) and Section 29(1)(a) of FOISA applies to some of the information you have requested. An exemption under section 38(1)(b) of FOISA (personal information) applies to some of the information requested because it is personal data of a third party, i.e. the names/contact details of individuals, and disclosing it would contravene the data protection principles in Article 5(1) of the General Data Protection Regulation and in section 34(1) of the Data Protection Act 2018. 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.

An exemption under section 29(1)(a) of FOISA applies to some of the information you requested because it is covers development of Government policy. This exemption is subject to the 'public interest test'. Therefore, taking account of all the circumstances of this case, we have considered if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exemption. We have found that, on balance, the public interest lies in favour of upholding the exemption. We recognise that there is some public interest in release because of open and transparent Government. However, this is outweighed by the public interest in the need for private space to discuss and formulate Government policy.

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.

FOI/202000083508 - Information Released

File type

32 page PDF

File size

1.6 MB