Scottish Government's Hate Crime Security Fund 2021: FOI release

Information requested

A full list of organisations/successful applicants to the Scottish Government's hate crime security fund 2021, and a breakdown of how much was handed out to each applicant.

Response

The Hate Crime Security Fund (HCSF) for Places of Worship (POW) provided a one-off £500,000 fund for security measures for POW in Scotland that are vulnerable to hate crime. Funding payments were made between November 2021 and March 2022.

Further details can also be found via: Hate Crime Security Fund 2021 - 2022 - Impact Funding Partners, which provides information that during the course of the fund, over £460,000 was distributed to 42 places of worship.

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 of FOISA exemptions. These exemptions are as follows:

Section 35(1)(a) (prevention or detection of crime)

This exemption applies to information, disclosure of which would, or would be likely to, prejudice substantially the prevention or detection of crime. Given the purpose and intention of the HCSF, this exemption recognises the need to ensure there are appropriate protections for those at risk of hate crime, particularly as a result of divisive narratives that may target faith communities. The safety of places of worship provided funding under the HCSF, in recognition of their vulnerability to hate crime, could potentially be undermined should their specific details be released.

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 a public interest in disclosing information as part of open, transparent and accountable government, and to inform public debate. However, there is a greater public interest in ensuring the identity of places of worship awarded funding under the HCSF are adequately protected. This is essential to preventing risk of harm to our faith communities and religious organisations and therefore disclosure of this sensitive information would not be in the public interest.

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.