Information on Independence Papers: FOI release

Information requested

1. How much did the independence in the modern world papers cost and breakdown of this cost?

2. What design agency did you use to produce this paper and the second paper in the series renewing democracy through independence?

3. How many civil servants worked on the second independence paper renewing democracy through independence and how many hours in total was spent on writing the paper?

4. What was the cost of the renewing democracy through independence paper and breakdown of these costs?

5. How many copies of each paper (independence in the modern world and renewing democracy through independence) were printed off and distributed?

Response

Request 1 & 4
An exemption under section 27(1) (information intended for future publication) of FOISA applies to the information you have requested. The reason why this exemption applies is explained below.

An exemption under section 27(1) of FOISA applies to the information requested because the Scottish Government intends to publish that information within 12 weeks of the date of your request. We consider that it is reasonable to withhold the information until that date, rather than release some of this information before the planned publication date.

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 some public interest in the costs associated with the prospectus papers, and this will be met by the planned publication. In the meantime, there is a greater public interest in taking the time necessary to ensure the information has been properly collated and checked before it is published as planned. Also, we see no public interest in disrupting the programme of work to produce the independence prospectus series to release the information ahead of the intended publication date.

Request 2
APS Group is our contracted publishing, print and design agency that produced both the Independence in the Modern World. Wealthier, happier, fairer: why not Scotland? and Renewing Democracy through Independence papers.

Request 3
The work on the Renewing Democracy through Independence paper was co-ordinated by some officials from the Constitutional Futures Division and also drew on other officials across a range of portfolios who contributed to varying extents as part of their wider responsibilities in supporting the Scottish Government.

I am unable to provide you with a figure for the total number of staff who contributed to the second paper in the prospectus series because in line with usual practice, details of individual tasks carried out by civil servants, including the number of hours spent on them, are not routinely recorded because there is no business need to do this.

This is a formal notice under Section 17(1) of FOISA that the Scottish Government does not have some of the information you have requested.

Request 5
200 copies of Independence in the Modern World. Wealthier, happier, fairer: why not Scotland? were printed. All 200 copies have now been distributed.

200 copies of Renewing Democracy through Independence were printed. 92 copies remain with Scottish Government and will be distributed when requested.

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.