Information regarding RSHP and LGBT inclusive education: FOI release

Information requested

Copies of any guidance notes, updated guidance or other communications delivered to local councils/education authorities concerning RSHP and LGBT inclusive education since May 2019. As well as information about the lgbteducation.scot website.

Response

Below is a link to some of the information you requested.

https://www.gov.scot/publications/lgbt-inclusive-education-guidance-to-education-authorities-may-2019/

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. The reason why we do not have the information you requested is there has been no further guidance or communications issued to local authorities or education authorities on RSHP or LGBT inclusive education, since the above noted guidance on LGBT inclusive education was issued in May 2019.

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance we are unable to providesome of the information you have requested because an exemption under section 17.1 of FOISA applies. The Scottish Government does not have the information you requested, as explained above.

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 27(1) of FOISA applies to some of the information requested because we intend to publish that information on 23 September 2021, which is 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 all of this information before the planned publication date.

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 there is some public interest in release because the content of the lgbteducation.scot website will be of interest to a wide section of society, and this will be met by our planned publication. In the meantime, there is a greater public interest in taking the time necessary to ensure the information has been properly collated and checked before it is published as planned. Also, we see no public interest in disrupting our programme of work to release the information ahead of the intended publication date.

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.