Meetings attended by First Minister week commencing 18 October 2021: FOI release

Information requested

For the week beginning October 18, 2021, for any meeting attended by the First Minister, the location, topic, attendees, time and date, alongside all minutes, notes, agendas, memos, handouts, linked to each meeting.

Response

Please find some of the information requested in Annex A.

For other meetings, including Cabinet, while our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance we are unable to provide the information under this part of your request because an exemption under section 30(b)(ii) (the free and frank exchange of views for the purposes of deliberation) applies to it. The reasons for applying this exemption are set out below.

Paragraph 2.1 of the Scottish Ministerial Code provides that "the privacy of opinions expressed and advice offered within the Government should be maintained" at all times. Cabinet papers and minutes are essential elements which support and assist collective discussion in the private space which Ministers need to reach agreed positions.

The weekly meeting of the Scottish Cabinet is the highest decision-making forum within the Scottish Government, and it follows that all information considered by Cabinet must be handled with great care.

Properly functioning Cabinet processes are generally recognised to be of vital public interest: Cabinet government is based on the principle of collective responsibility, which the Scottish Ministerial Code defines in the following terms:
"The principle of collective responsibility requires that Ministers should be able to express their views frankly in the expectation that they can argue freely in private while maintaining a united front when decisions have been reached. This in turn requires that the privacy of opinions expressed and advice offered within the Government should be maintained. … The internal processes through which a Government decision has been made should not normally be disclosed." (Scottish Ministerial Code, 2018 edition, paragraphs 2.1 and 2.4)

Cabinet papers and minutes are invariably produced on the assumption that they will not be disclosed until a significant amount of time has elapsed.

Section 30(b)(ii) (the free and frank exchange of views for the purposes of deliberation) recognises the need to allow Ministers some private space for discussion. 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 that there is a public interest in disclosing information as part of open, transparent and accountable government, and to inform public debate. However, there is a greater public interest in maintaining the process of achieving collective responsibility within a private space within which policy positions can be explored and refined by Ministers in order that the Government, as a whole, can reach a final decision. This private thinking space also allows for all options to be properly considered, so that good policy decisions can be taken. Premature disclosure is likely to undermine the full and frank discussion of issues between Ministers, which in turn will undermine the quality of the policy-/decisionmaking process.

With regards to the remaining part of your question, an exemption under section 39(1) of FOISA applies to some of the information you have requested. The disclosure of the location, time and date, could allow the identification of journey patterns and would, or would likely to, endanger the safety of an individual.

This exemption is also subject to the 'public interest test'. 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 that there is some public interest in release, however, this is outweighed by the public interest in ensuring the safety of individuals.

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.

FOI202100255927 - Annex A

File type

1 page PDF

File size

367.0 kB