Cabinet Secretary for Culture & External Affairs visit to Brussels: FOI release

Information requested

Angus Robertson said that he travelled to Brussels "recently" to speak with key European partners on March 20 2025. Could you supply all documentation held from these meetings, including correspondence sent and received, minutes/notes from the meetings, briefings, between February 15 2025 and April 15 2025?

Response

Given that Mr Robertson's most recent visit to Brussels pre-dates the timescale you have suggested, I wrote to you on 26 August to clarify that this response should "provide you with briefings, meeting notes and all correspondence from/to Mr Robertson, relating to the 5-6 February 2025 Brussels visit". As there has been no objection to this suggestion in the timescale provided, this FOI response therefore provides that information.

I enclose, via attachment, a copy of all of the information mentioned above.

An exemption under section 38(1)(b) of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act (FOISA) applies to all of the information you have requested. Section 38 of FOISA relates to personal information. In this instance, the names of Scottish Government officials under Deputy Director grade, external stakeholders’ contact information and names/biographies from event guest lists, have been redacted.

An exemption under section 32 (1) (ii) of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act (FOISA) applies to some of the information you have requested. Section 32 (1) (ii) concerns relations between the United Kingdom and any international organisation or international court. In this instance, discussion on international stakeholders’ policy positions provided in a free and frank exchange, and briefing material gathered from such discussions, have been redacted.

These exemptions are 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.

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FOI 202500481475 - Information Released - Attachment

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