Tartan Day spend: FOI release

Information requested

A) How many Scottish Government employees, ie MP’s, MSP’s, office staff, researchers, and anyone else who is paid from taxpayer’s money or public funds were in the party along with the First Minister on the recent trip to the USA for Tartan Day and other events including tourism and sporting events?

B) What is the total cost of the entire trip?

C) How many of the party travelled first class to, during, and from the trip?

D) What is the monetary value to Scotland of any business deals conducted and concluded during the trip?

Response

I enclose a copy of some of the information you requested. This is a formal notice under section 17(1) of FOISA that the Scottish Government does not have all the information you have requested.

A. The Scottish Government delegation accompanying the First Minister did not include any MPs, MSPs or party political staff.

B. I attach a table - Annex A - which gives details of costs of the visit as requested.

Please be aware that the above table does not include information relating to the cost of travel for the First Minister and for the Special Adviser who accompanied him on this visit. While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance we are unable to provide this information because an exemption under section 27(1) Information intended for future publication of FOISA applies to that information. This exemption applies as details of ministerial engagements, travel and gifts and Special Advisers gifts and hospitality will be published within the next 12 weeks and will be available when published at the links below. If, however, you do not have internet access to obtain this information from the website listed, then please contact me again and I will send you a paper copy. Ministerial engagements, travel and gifts - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) and Special Advisers: gifts and hospitality - gov.scot.

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 release because of interest in Ministerial and Special Advisers travel. However, this is outweighed by the public interest in minimising the resource implications of the duplication of work.

Some of the costs incurred for this trip were in relation to security matters for the First Minister. The Scottish Government does not comment on the First Minister’s security matters. An exemption under section 39(1) of FOISA (health of safety) applies to some of the information you have requested. This is because disclosure would, or would be likely to, endanger the physical or mental health or safety of an individual.

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 arrangements for the First Minister’s security. However, this is outweighed by the public interest in the safety of the First Minister.

An exemption under section 38(1)(b) (personal information) of FOISA applies to some of the information you have requested. This is because some of the information you have requested is the personal data of third parties.

This exemption is not subject to the 'public interest test', so we are not required to consider if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exemption.

C. None of the party travelled First class.

D. A report of the visit is attached at Annex B.

An exemption under section 33(1)(b) of FOISA (commercial interests) applies to some of the information. This exemption applies because disclosure of this particular information would, or would be likely to, prejudice substantially the commercial interests of the companies referred to in the report.

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. However, there is a greater public interest in protecting the commercial interests of companies considering investment in Scotland, to ensure that we do not prejudice commercial decisions which may lead to economic growth and increased employment in Scotland.

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FOI 202500461315 - Information released - Annex A

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31.2 kB

FOI 202500461315 - Information released - Annex B

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142.5 kB