Junk food consultation: FOI release

Information requested

1. How much money has been spent on the Scottish Government looking into restricting promotions of food high in fat, sugar and salt over the last five years, with a breakdown of each year and what the money has been spent on?
2. How many consultations has the government published about this topic and similar junk food crackdowns over the last ten years, with a list of these?
3. All briefings prepared for ministers regarding the restrictions of promoting food high in fat, sugar and salt between January 2023 and the date of this FOI.
4. All correspondence sent and received by the Scottish Government regarding the restrictions of promotions of food high in fat, sugar and salt over the last five years?

Response

I enclose a copy of some of the information you requested for questions 1, 2 and 3.

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance we are unable to provide some of the information you have requested for question 3 because exemptions under sections 29(1)(a) (policy formation), 30(b)(i) (free and frank advice and exchange of views), 36(1) (confidentiality) and 38(1)(b) (personal information) of FOISA apply to that information. The reasons why these exemptions apply are explained in Annex D.

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the costs of locating, retrieving and providing the information requested for your fourth question would exceed the upper cost limit of £600. This is because searches for information related to your request have identified a high number of documents, which would exceed the upper cost limit due to staff resourcing required to consider them. Under section 12 of FOISA public authorities are not required to comply with a request for information if the authority estimates that the cost of complying would exceed the upper cost limit, which is currently set at £600 by Regulations made under section 12.

You may, however, wish to consider reducing the scope of your request in order that the costs can be brought below £600. This could be done by narrowing the timescale, or by requesting correspondence around a more specific topic. You may also find it helpful to look at the Scottish Information Commissioner's 'Tips for requesting information under FOI and the EIRs' on his website at: http://www.itspublicknowledge.info/YourRights/Tipsforrequesters.aspx.

Please refer to the attached Annexes for outcomes relating to each of your questions 1, 2 and 3.

Annex A – Breakdown of Scottish Government spending on looking into restricting promotions of food high in fat, sugar and salt over the last five years.

Annex B – Details of consultations published about this topic in the last ten years.

Annex C – Briefings prepared for Ministers regarding the restrictions of promoting food high in fat, sugar and salt between January 2023 and 15 September 2023.

Annex D – Reasons for not providing information.

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.

FOI 202300376246 - Information Released - Annex A - D

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5 page PDF

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193.2 kB

FOI 202300376246 - Information Released - Documents 1-28

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144 page PDF

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2.9 MB