All correspondence regarding the Scottish Independence Referendum Bill: FOI release

Information requested

The following information:

“1) All correspondence (including meetings, emails, text/WhatsApp messages and phone calls) between any of the First Minister (and her office), the Cabinet Secretary for the Constitution, External Affairs and Culture (and his office) and the Lord Advocate (and her office) regarding the Scottish Independence Referendum Bill published on 28 June 2022. Please provide this correspondence, including any records of phone calls and attachments to emails, for the dates between 1 January 2022 and the present date.

2) When the Scottish Independence Referendum Bill was discussed at Cabinet and whether the Lord Advocate was in attendance.

3) How much money the Scottish Government has already spent, and/or how much money it has put aside to spend in the legal proceedings relating to the Lord Advocate’s referral of the Scottish Independence Referendum Bill to the UK Supreme Court.”

Response

Part 1: All correspondence (including meetings, emails, text/WhatsApp messages and phone calls) between any of the First Minister (and her office), the Cabinet Secretary for the Constitution, External Affairs and Culture (and his office) and the Lord Advocate (and her office) regarding the Scottish Independence Referendum Bill published on 28 June 2022. Please provide this correspondence, including any records of phone calls and attachments to emails, for the dates between 1 January 2022 and the present date. 

The information you have requested is provided at Annex A.

Part 2: When the Scottish Independence Referendum Bill was discussed at Cabinet and whether the Lord Advocate was in attendance.
Cabinet discussed the Scottish Independence Referendum Bill on 28 June and the Lord Advocate was in attendance.

3) How much money the Scottish Government has already spent, and/or how much money it has put aside to spend in the legal proceedings relating to the Lord Advocate’s referral of the Scottish Independence Referendum Bill to the UK Supreme Court.”

As of 28 June 2022, the Scottish Government has spent £27,193.84 on external counsel advising on the referral to the Supreme Court.

Annex A- information for release
Extract of a note of a meeting between the First Minister and the Law Officers, held on 9 June 2022. In attendance were the First Minister, the Lord Advocate, the Solicitor General, David Rogers, Director Constitution, Colin McAllister, SPAD, and one other official.  [out of scope] The proposed reference would include a Bill which, separately, would be published and would include the proposed date for the referendum. [out of scope]

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