Rape Crisis Scotland employment information: FOI release

Information requested

(a) When did the Scottish Government become aware that Rape Crisis Scotland were thinking about employing Alison Thewliss?

(b) When did the Scottish Government become aware that Rape Crisis Scotland had employed Alison Thewliss?

(c) Please can you share any correspondence within the last year sent to or sent from Kaukab Stewart or John Swinney which concerns Alison Thewliss and Rape Crisis Scotland ?

Response

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

(a) The Scottish Government was not informed that Rape Crisis Scotland was thinking about employing Alison Thewliss. As the Scottish Government cannot intervene in the day-to-day operations of independent organisations, including staffing decisions, this matter falls solely under the responsibility of Rape Crisis Scotland. Consequently, we would not typically be notified about personnel-related matters.

(b) The Scottish Government first became aware that Rape Crisis Scotland had employed Alison Thewliss at the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee meeting on the morning of Tuesday 25 February 2025 when this was raised by Tess White MSP.

(c) While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested. The Scottish Government does not have the information you asked for because there has been no correspondence within the last year sent to or sent from Kaukab Stewart or John Swinney which concerns Alison Thewliss and Rape Crisis Scotland. As such, I hereby provide you with formal notice under section 17(1) of FOISA that the Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested in relation to question ‘(c)’.

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