Tartan week expenses 2023: FOI release

Information requested

A breakdown of all expenses incurred by the Scottish Government’s delegation to Tartan Week 2023, broken down by each member of the delegation.

Response

I attach a copy of most of the information you requested below.

Official	Accommodation	Flight	Travel	Meal subsistence	Ad hoc	Incidentals	Grand Total
US Office - Policy Official	£701.66		£238.23	£24.74			£964.63
US Office - Head of Scottish Government Office	£1,169.44		£513.17	£133.63			£1,816.24
Comms Official	£935.55	£921.41	£132.68	£57.42			£2,047.06
Policy Official	£1,169.44	£862.71	£36.96	£98.26			£2,167.37
Deputy Director	£846.99	£1,476.00	£269.77	£32.66	£17.88		£2,643.30
Private Secretary	£1,169.44	£922.21		£161.51			£2,253.16
Policy Official	£1,169.44	£856.21	£333.80	£240.07		£4.40	£2,603.92
US Office - Policy Official	£701.66		£276.16	£59.19			£1,037.02
US Office - Policy Official	£701.66						£701.66
US Office - Policy Official	£1,169.44		£318.50	£145.61		£9.42	£1,642.97
Grand Total	£9,734.72	£5,038.54	£2,119.27	£953.09	£17.88	£13.82	£17,877.33

An exemption under section s.27(1) of FOISA applies to some of the information you have requested. This is because information relating to the travel costs of the Cabinet Secretary for External Affairs are due to be published in the next 12 weeks. This information can be found here:

Ministerial engagements, travel and gifts - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

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 release because of interest in Ministerial travel. However, this is outweighed by the public interest in avoiding the resource implications of the duplication of work.

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.