Publication - FOI/EIR release

Information regarding McInnes Committee: The summary Justice Review Committee report: FOI release

Published: 11 November 2021
Directorate: Justice Directorate
Topic: Law and order, Public sector
FOI reference: FOI/202100242325
Date received: 23 September 2021
Date responded: 21 October 2021

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

Information requested

Documents from the McInnes Committee: The Summary Justice Review Committee report published in 2004:

1) The first order consultation document in March 2002 and a subsequent.

2) Please Provide the Workshop materials for the workshops of the above committee which took play in March 2003 in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen.

3) The Survey questions used in the research conducted by George Street Research by the committee and a copy of the methodological statement and full dataset/report.

4) The questions used by and the report of Dr. Nancy Loucks provided to the committee.

Response

Some of the information you have requested – 1) the first order consultation and subsequent [report] - is available from the following links:

Under section 25(1) of FOISA, we do not have to give you information which is already reasonably accessible to you.

Attached is a copy of workshop materials for the workshops of the above committee which took place in March 2003 in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen. There were various documents that could meet this description, as listed/linked below and attached to this covering email:-

A document that sets out details of the 3 different venues, and the structure of the day’s session, as well as a brief note of the summary justice workshop topics for delegates to select 2 workshops of their choice – Review of summary Justice: Practitioner workshops report
A background paper setting out the McInnes committee’s views on various issues as well as areas for discussion, with a covering letter from Sheriff McInnes, thanking participants and putting the work in context (attached).
A published document that sets out the background, attendees, summary of discussions etc (attached).

Unfortunately, regarding questions 3 and 4, while our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Scottish Government does not have all of the information you have requested.

Although I have located a copy of what I understand to be the survey questions you have requested (attached), the Scottish Government does not have the other information you have asked for because given the time elapsed, there would be little business need to retain this information. It is likely that it was routinely destroyed, in accordance with our standard records management practice, before the date of your request.

This is a formal notice under section 17(1) of FOISA that the Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested.

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.