Publication - FOI/EIR release

Engagement and total cost incurred by Highlands and Islands Enterprise: FOI release

Published: 13 December 2021
Directorate: Economic Development Directorate
Topic: Economy, Public sector
FOI reference: FOI/202100244587
Date received: 4 October 2021
Date responded: 12 November 2021

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

Information requested

1. The total costs incurred by Highlands and Islands Enterprise from 2014 to the present day. This includes all secretariat staffing costs, daily board member fees and expenses, events, publications and office-running costs.

2. A record of all engagement between board members and Scottish Government ministers and Cabinet Secretaries from 2014 to the present day.

We required clarification in order to identify information within the scope of your request. You responded with the following:

I can confirm that I am requesting any written correspondence between board members in their capacity as board members and a member of the Scottish Government, as well as minutes of any meetings where Scottish Cabinet Secretaries or Ministers were present.

Response

I will answer each of your questions in turn:

1. The financial accounts are available from Highland and Islands Enterprise's published accounts, which are available at the following website links:

Highlands and Islands Enterprise Annual Report and Accounts - 2013 to 2014

Highlands and Islands Enterprise Annual Report and Accounts - 2014 to 2015

Highlands and Islands Enterprise Annual Report and Accounts - 2015 to 2016

Highlands and Islands Enterprise Annual Report and Accounts - 2016 to 2017

Highlands and Islands Enterprise Annual Report and Accounts - 2017 to 2018

Highlands and Islands Enterprise Annual Report and Accounts - 2018 to 2019

Highlands and Islands Enterprise Annual Report and Accounts - 2019 to 2020

Highlands and Islands Enterprise Annual Report and Accounts - 2020 to 2021

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 websites listed, then please contact me again and I will arrange for you to be sent a paper copy.

2. We have conducted a search of our systems and have identified material that is within scope of your request. These are included as separate documents in the response email.

Certain information has been redacted under a section of FOISA. Further information regarding this section can be found in the Annex of this letter.

Board meeting notes and minutes, including where Ministers attended, are made publicly available via HIE’s website at: www.hie.co.uk/about-us/our-board/.

In addition to the documents that we have released, it may be helpful to note that Ministers engage with the Enteprise Agencies through a number of formal structures, including the Enterprise and Skills Strategic Board (ESSB) and Convention of the Highlands and Islands (COHI) and that minutes/transcripts of those meetings are available on SG’s website:

Enterprise and Skills Strategic Board - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Convention of the Highlands and Islands - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

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(s) listed, then please contact me again and I will send you a paper copy.

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.