Meetings held with Phoenix Futures relating to new drug rehabilitation centre: FOI release
Information request and response under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002
Information requested
I would like to use FOI to request all notes or minutes from all meetings, phone calls, virtual meetings between the Scottish Government officials/ civil servants and ministers and Phoenix Futures from March 2021 to now regarding the announcement of a new drug rehabilitation centre in North Ayrshire https://www.gov.scot/news/new-national-facility-for-families-affected-by-drug-use/.
I would also like a copy of the advert to bid for the contract to run the above mentioned facility please and a list of organisations who where invited to bid”.
Response
Attached is a copy of most of the information requested. As a summary, these documents are:
- An email chain from Scottish Government officials to the Minister for Drugs Policy, sent on 26 and 28 October 2021, containing a readout of a virtual meeting which took place on 28 October 2021 between the Minister, Phoenix Futures and North Ayrshire councillors regarding the announcement of the Phoenix Futures National Specialist Family Service in Saltcoats.
- A series of emails exchanged between Scottish Government and Phoenix Futures officials from 12-13 August 2021 to follow up a virtual meeting to discuss the announcement of the Phoenix Futures National Specialist Family Service in Saltcoats.
- Minutes of the investment panel meeting, held on 3 August 2021, which considered Phoenix Futures’ application to the Residential Rehabilitation Rapid Capacity Programme (RRRCP) to fund a new drug rehabilitation centre in North Ayrshire and which were shared with Phoenix
Futures in the follow up exchange mentioned above.
Whilst our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance we are unable to provide some of the information you have requested because exemptions under sections s. 38(1)(b) (personal data relating to a third party) and s. 30(b)(ii) (free and frank provision of views) of FOISA applies to that information. The reasons why that exemption(s) applies are explained in Annex A.
This project was funded as part of the National Mission Funds rather than as an award of a contract. We are therefore not able to provide a copy of the advert to bid or list of organisations who were invited to bid. We have however provided a standard application form for the Residential Rehabilitation Rapid Capacity Programme (RRRCP), a copy of the programme guidance and Phoenix Futures’ RRRCP application form, which are included separately in this release and can be found in Annex B-D.
Any not-for-profit organisations working in the drugs sector, including Integration Authorities, Alcohol and Drug Partnerships, third sector organisations and grassroots/community organisations are eligible to apply for funding from the Recovery Fund. We published guidance and criteria on this fund here. Any proposals to the fund have to be considered on their merits and the assessment process as set out in the guidance.
ANNEX A
REASONS FOR NOT PROVIDING INFORMATION
An exemption applies
An exemption under section 38(1)(b) (personal data relating to a third party) of FOISA applies to some of the information you have requested.
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 applies, subject to the public interest test
An exemption under section 30(b)(ii) (free and frank provision of views) of FOISA apply to some of the information you have requested.
This exemptions 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.
About FOI
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Contact
Please quote the FOI reference
Central Enquiry Unit
Email: ceu@gov.scot
Phone: 0300 244 4000
The Scottish Government
St Andrews House
Regent Road
Edinburgh
EH1 3DG
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