Information on any media, voice or public speaking training Ministers have had over the last five financial years: FOI release

Information requested

Please confirm all media training, voice coaching, public speaking coaching or presentational training provided to Scottish Government ministers in each of the last five full financial years, including 2018/19 to today’s date.

In each individual case, please confirm which minister received the training, how much it cost, who the provider was and what was the reason for the training being provided.

Response

Effective communication is essential for the work of the Scottish Government. All Ministers, following their appointment, are offered in-house introductory or refresher media training. This is an opportunity for them to meet their communications team and includes briefing them on how the government communications directorate functions, and ensuring they understand any potential limitations placed on them when answering questions as a Minister, on matters such as live planning applications or sub judice legal cases.

The information requested relating to the financial year 2018/19 is already published and accessible via the link below. Therefore 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 listed, then please contact me again and I will send you a paper copy.

Minister’s media or presentational training, voice or public speaking coaching: FOI release - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

No media training, voice coaching, public speaking coaching or presentational training was undertaken or provided to Ministers in financial years 2019/20, 2020/21 or in 2022/23 until the date of this request.

The following Ministers received introductory or refresher in-house training at no cost in the financial year 2021/22:

George Adam
Tom Arthur
Jenny Gilruth
Mairi McAllan
Angus Robertson
Neil Gray
Patrick Harvie
Lorna Slater
Maree Todd
Ben Macpherson

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.