Public Health Scotland Communication Framework: FOI release

Information requested

You asked for the following documents within the context of a Communications Framework between the Scottish Government and bodies including Public Health Scotland (PHS) and COSLA with reference to the Times article on 11 June 2021 - ‘Watchdog’s remit is to shield SNP Ministers’:

• Electronic copies of any document(s) outlining the nature of this communications framework
• Electronic copies of all risk assessments submitted to the government by PHS and COSLA between 1 April 2020 and 14 June 2021 that had a score of between four and eight
• Electronic copies of any PHS and COSLA documents published between 1 April 2020 and 14 June 2021 that had a risk score of between four and eight

Response

Please see attached in addition to this correspondence an electronic copy of the Public Health Scotland, COSLA and Scottish Government Communications Framework in response to part of your request.

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Scottish Government does not have some of the information you have requested.

With reference to your request for ‘Electronic copies of all risk assessments submitted to the government by PHS and COSLA between 1 April 2020 and 14 June 2021 that had a score of between four and eight’, the Scottish Government is unable to provide this information as there is no information held.

This is in compliance with section 17(1) of FOISA. Whilst the Communications Framework does refer to risk assessments in relation to a broad range of communications activity, any such assessments are an internal matter for the organisation in question and have not been shared with the Scottish Government.

In regards to your request for ‘Electronic copies of any PHS and COSLA documents published between 1 April 2020 and 14 June 2021 that had a risk score of between four and eight’, the Scottish Government does not have the information you have asked for as the Scottish Government is not the data controller in this instance and therefore does not hold the information requested. This is a formal notice under section 17(1) of FOISA.

However, you may wish to review the Public Health Scotland Website or contact Public Health Scotland directly at Phs.foi@nhs.net who may be able to help you. It is further noted that COSLA as a membership body are not subject to FOI law. More information on this can be found on Scottish Information Commissioner website.

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 - 202100213128 - Information released

File type

14 page PDF

File size

459.7 kB