Petition PE1458 regarding a register of judges' interests: FOI release

Information requested

Information contained in documents, meetings, communications and discussions and any private chat groups or messenger services - within, and between – the Scottish Government and anyone acting for it – and any other person or organisation or public authority including the Scottish Parliament, MSPs, MPs, Lord President, Judicial Office, Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service, Law Society of Scotland, Faculty of Advocates and any other organisation, relating to Petition PE1458 and the Scottish Government's commitment to create a register of judges' interests as called for in Petition PE1458 and any work by the Scottish Government and any other organisation consulted by the Scottish Government relating to proposals contained in Petition PE 1458 and any other material considered by the Scottish Government in relation to and accumulated as a result of Petition PE1458 including any communications with the Scottish Parliament and any others, including communications with, or representations from MSPs, former MSPs, members of the legal profession and judiciary, academics, and anyone else - to create a register of judges' interests. from 3 March 2023 to the date of this FOI request.

Response

I attach some of the information you requested.

An exemption under s.38(1)(b)(personal information) of FOISA applies to some of the information you have requested. This exemption applies to personal information including, names, job titles, and contact details.

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance we are unable to provide some of the information you have requested because exemptions under section 29(1)(a)(policy formation), section 30(b)(i)(the free and frank provision of advice), and/or section 30(b)(ii)(the free and frank exchange of views for the purpose of deliberation) apply. These exemptions exist to allow future policy to be considered privately and advice given to Ministers and other officials before the Scottish Government reaches a settled public view.

These exemptions are subject to a ‘public interest test’. We have found that the need for Ministers, officials and stakeholders to be able to exchange free and frank views to ensure policy development is fully informed outweighs the public interest in disclosing the 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 202300381852 - Information released - Annex

File type

35 page PDF

File size

6.4 MB