Responses to public consultation paper 'A New Deal for Tenants': FOI release
Information request and response under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002.
Information requested
Access to the responses given to the public consultation paper entitled “A New Deal for Tenants - draft strategy: consultation.
Response
Most of the information you have requested is available from the Scottish Government's website, here: Published responses for A New Deal for Tenants - draft Rented Sector Strategy consultation - Scottish Government - Citizen Space.
Under section 25(1) of FOISA, we do not have to give you information that is already reasonably accessible to you. If, however, you do not have internet access to obtain this information from the website(s) listed, then please contact me again and I will send you a paper copy.
I attach a copy of the remaining information you requested.
Exemptions under sections 30(b)(ii), 30(c) and 38(1)(b) of FOISA apply to some of this information. Respectively, these exemptions apply as disclosure would cause substantial harm to the free and frank exchange or views for the purposes of deliberation, cause substantial harm to the effective conduct of public affairs and would contravene the data protection principles of UK GDPR.
Exemptions under sections 30(b)(ii) and 30(c) are 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 exemptions. We recognise that there is some public interest in release because this would deliver transparency and may inform public debate. However, this is outweighed by the public interest in respecting the confidence of those public consultation respondents who did not grant consent for their views shared privately with Scottish Government ministers and officials to be published, and protecting the effective conduct of public affairs.
The exemption under section 38(1)(b) 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.
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.
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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