CBI Scotland correspondence: FOI release

Information requested

All correspondence sent and received, briefings, notes/minutes from meetings, between the Scottish Government and CBI Scotland, from the last three months.

Response

I enclose a copy of most of the information you requested.

Some of the information you have requested, the notes from the New Deal for Business meetings, is available here: Business: New Deal for Business Group - gov.scot. 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.

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 38(1)(b) of FOISA applies to some of the information you have requested. This exemption is in line with GDPR law and has been applied to remove the names and contact details of Scottish Government officials below Civil Service Deputy Director level, and external individuals who have not shared permission for their details to be shared.

An exemption under section Under section 25(1) of FOISA also applies to some of the information you have requested, as we do not have to give you information which is already reasonably accessible to you. CBI publish details of their events on their website: www.cbi.org.uk/events/. As some of the events are still to be advertised, we have also applied Section 30(c) and 39(1) as i) disclosure would, or would be likely to, endanger the physical or mental health or safety of an individual, and ii) releasing such information could stop organisations coming to us with information if it could cause them issues.

This exemption is subject to the 'public interest test'. Therefore, taking account of all the circumstances of this case, we have considered if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exemption. We have found that, on balance, the public interest lies in favour of upholding the exemption. We recognise that there is some public interest in the First Minister's travel arrangements. However, this is outweighed by the public interest in the safety of the First Minister.

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 202500452273 - Information released - Annex

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