Meetings between Scottish Government and Unison: FOI release

Information requested

1. Could you supply minutes/ notes from all meetings between the Scottish Government and COSLA from the last three months, plus all briefings prepared for these meetings?

2. Could you supply minutes/notes from all meetings between the Scottish Government and Unison from the last three months, plus all briefings prepared for these meetings?

Response

Question 1: Could you supply minutes/notes from all meetings between the Scottish Government and COSLA from the last three months, plus all briefings prepared for these meetings?

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the costs of locating, retrieving and providing the information requested would exceed the upper cost limit of £600. 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. You may want to consider narrowing the timeframe you have requested or focusing your request on a specific area of the Scottish Government.

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.

Question 2: Could you supply minutes/notes from all meetings between the Scottish Government and Unison from the last three months, plus all briefings prepared for these meetings?

We have interpreted this question to mean meetings between only the Scottish Government and Unison.

The Minister for Higher and Further Education met with Unison on 2 October 2024. I have attached briefing prepared in advance of this meeting and a note of the meeting. Some personal information (names, email addresses and phone numbers) has been redacted under Section 38(1)(b) of FOISA. Some advice relating to ongoing pay negotiations has been redacted under Section 30(b)(i) of FOISA which relates to the provision of free and frank advice. Some material in relation to ongoing pay negotiations has also been redacted under Section 30(c) of FOISA which relates to the effective conduct of public affairs. Where relevant, we have considered the public interest test and have determined that these redactions remain. These papers are attached at Annex 1 and Annex 2 to this letter.

About FOI

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at https://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.

FOI 202400438910 - Information released - Annex

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