Voter identification requirements at the General Election documentation: FOI release

Information requested

All documentation held by the Scottish Government, including correspondence sent and received (including internal), minutes/notes from meetings, briefings, analysis, about voter ID requirements at the General Election, between November 1 2024 and May 1 2025.

Response

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

Some of the information you have requested is available publicly. 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.

Letter from Minister for Parliamentary Business to Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government) – Voter ID – 17 November 2024
https://www.gov.scot/publications/voter-id-letter-to-uk-government/

Electoral Commission report on voter ID at the 2024 UK general election:
https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/research-reports-and-data/our-reports-and-data-past-electionsand-referendums/voter-id-2024-uk-general-election

Letter from Minister Norris to the electoral sector -
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/democratic-participation-open-letter-to-the-electoralsector/letter-from-minister-norris-to-the-electoral-sector

Written evidence from the Electoral Management Board for Scotland to the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee – Review of the 2024 general election inquiry:
committees.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/135592/html/

Democracy Volunteers – Final Report – Westminster General Election July 2024 -
https://democracyvolunteers.org/final-report-westminster-general-election-july-2024/

Electoral Management Board for Scotland Annual Report -
https://www.emb.scot/downloads/file/1094/annual-report-of-the-emb-for-scotland-2023-2024

Legislative Consent Memorandum – Elections Bill – September 2021 - https://www.parliament.scot/-/media/files/legislation/bills/lcms/elections-bill/splcms068.pdf

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 sections 30(b)(ii) (free and frank exchange of views) and section 38(1)(b) (personal data of a third party) of FOISA applies to that information.

Section 30(b)(ii) – free and frank exchange of views

Information is exempt under section 30(b)(ii) if disclosure would, or would be likely to, inhibit substantially the free and frank exchange of views for the purposes of deliberation.

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, however this is outweighed by the public interest in preventing the inhibition of the free and frank exchange of views for the purposes of deliberation.

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, however, this is outweighed by the public interest in ensuring that public servants can preventing the inhibition of the free and frank exchange of views for the purposes of deliberation.

Section 38(1)(b) - personal data of a third party

An exemption under section 38(1)(b) of FOISA applies to some of the information requested because it is personal data of individuals included within the correspondence and disclosing it would contravene the data protection principles in Article 5(1) of the General Data Protection Regulation. 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. Redactions have been made where that is the case.

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.

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 202500470457 - Information released - Annex

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