Scottish Connections Fund information: FOI release

Information request and response under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002.


Information requested

The following information in respect of the Scottish Connections Fund 2024-25:

1. Judging Panel:

  • Please provide a list of the names of all individuals who served on the judging panel for the 2024/2025 round of the Scottish Connections Fund.

2. External Input:

  • Please provide a list of any organizations or individuals, not on the judging panel, who were consulted or approached to provide additional input or advice on applications to the Scottish Connections Fund for 2024/2025.

3. Assessment Criteria:

  • Please provide details of the specific criteria and weighting used to assess applications for the 2024/2025 round of the Scottish Connections Fund.
  • Please explain how these criteria were applied to the assessment of individual applications.

4. Adjudication Process:

  • Please provide a detailed description of the adjudication process used to determine the successful applications for the 2024/2025 round of the Scottish Connections Fund.
  • Please specify who was involved in the adjudication process, at what stage, and what level of oversight was applied by the Scottish Government.
  • Please identify the individual(s) within the Scottish Government who had the final authority to approve or reject applications.

5. Decision-Making:

  • Please clarify the process by which the final decisions on successful applications were made, including the role of the judging panel, external advisors, and Scottish Government officials.

Response

Judging Panel:

Please provide a list of the names of all individuals who served on the judging panel for the 2024/2025 round of the Scottish Connections Fund.

  • While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance we are unable to provide the information you have requested because an exemption under section s.38(1)(b) (personal information) of FOISA applies. The reasons why that exemption applies are explained in the Annex to this letter.

External Input:

Please provide a list of any organizations or individuals, not on the judging panel, who were consulted or approached to provide additional input or advice on applications to the Scottish Connections Fund for 2024/2025.

  • While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance we are unable to provide the information you have requested because an exemption under section s.38(1)(b) (personal information) of FOISA applies. The reasons why that exemption applies are explained in the Annex to this letter.

Assessment Criteria:

Please provide details of the specific criteria and weighting used to assess applications for the 2024/2025 round of the Scottish Connections Fund.

  • All of the information you have requested is available from https://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-connections-fund-how-to-apply/ and supporting documents available to download. Under section 25(1) of FOISA, we do not have to give you information which is already reasonably accessible to you. If, however, you do not have internet access to obtain this information from the website(s) listed, then please contact me again and I will send you a paper copy.

Please explain how these criteria were applied to the assessment of individual applications.

  • While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance we are unable to provide the information you have requested because an exemption under section s.38(1)(b) (personal information) of FOISA applies. The reasons why that exemption applies are explained in the Annex to this letter.

Adjudication Process:

Please provide a detailed description of the adjudication process used to determine the successful applications for the 2024/2025 round of the Scottish Connections Fund.

  • While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Scottish Government does not hold a detailed description of the adjudication process used to determine the successful applications for the 2024/2025 round of the Scottish Connections Fun. The reasons are explained in the Annex to this letter.

Please specify who was involved in the adjudication process, at what stage, and what level of oversight was applied by the Scottish Government.

  • While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance we are unable to provide the information you have requested because an exemption under section s.38(1)(b) (personal information) of FOISA applies. The reasons why that exemption applies are explained in the Annex to this letter.

Please identify the individual(s) within the Scottish Government who had the final authority to approve or reject applications.

  • The Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, External Affairs and Culture approved the final projects that will receive funding from the Scottish Connections Fund 2024-25.

Decision-Making:

Please clarify the process by which the final decisions on successful applications were made, including the role of the judging panel, external advisors, and Scottish Government officials.

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.

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

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