Correspondence which relate to right wing extremist groups: FOI release
Information request and response under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002
Information requested
“ Please provide any internal or external government communications made since – and including – 17/10/23 which relate to: (date of receipt was 04/07/2024)_
- Patriotic Alternative Scotland
- The Homeland Party
- The far right, neo-Nazis, extreme right
Please also include any media, such as images, all attachments, and all forms of communication, including text messages and Whatsapp.”
I wrote to you on 17 July seeking clarification on the words being used to search for communications as the descriptive terms were too wide and likely to breach the excessive costs limit. You helpfully provided an immediate clarification which allowed a narrowed search on the following terms:
"Please can you narrow the search to any mentions of "Nazi", "Homeland" or the "Homeland Party" or "Patriotic Alternative".
Response
From your initial enquiry and subsequent clarification, I made a judgement not to include all correspondence with the Homeland Security Group as this was not the subject of your interest and would certainly have breached the excessive costs limits. I have therefore focussed the search on correspondence which related to right wing extremist groups.
In response to your request I have attached a copy of some of the information you requested. Our aim is to provide information whenever possible. However, in this instance we are unable to provide some of the information you have requested because exemptions under sections 28(1) (relations within the UK), 30(a) - Substantial prejudice to collective responsibility of Scottish Ministers, 30(c) (effective conduct of public affairs) and 3 of FOISA apply to that information. The reasons why these exemptions apply are explained in the Annex to this letter.
About FOI
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Contact
Please quote the FOI reference
Central Correspondence Unit
Email: contactus@gov.scot
Phone: 0300 244 4000
The Scottish Government
St Andrew's House
Regent Road
Edinburgh
EH1 3DG