First Minister's visit to Shetland costs and correspondence: FOI release

Information requested

“Please could you provide:

a) An itemised list of expenditures incurred during the First Minister's visit to Shetland August 20-21st. Please include expenses for all team members, not just the FM.

b) Any documents or correspondence to or from your domain ("@gov.scot") regarding the visit, sent between August 18th and the date at which you process this request. Please include attachments in their original format and, where you need to redact personal information, please include the domain names of any web addresses.”

You also requested that:

“In your search for documents and correspondence please include (but do not limit your search to): emails (including attachments in their original format), letters, memos, briefings, research documents, notes taken during telephone conversations, meeting agendas, minutes taken during meetings/invitations.”

Response

In regard to the list of expenditures incurred pleased find the following table which summarises the costs of those who accompanied the First Minister:

Accommodation	£1,849.20
Subsistence	£246.61
Travel	£3,662.17
Total	£5,757.98

An exemption under section 27(1) of FOISA applies to some of the information requested, relating to the cost of travel for the First Minister, because we intend to publish that information within 12 weeks of the date of your request. We consider that it is reasonable to withhold the information until that date, rather than release this information before the planned publication date.

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 to ensure the appropriate use of public funds, and this will be met by our planned publication. In the meantime, there is a greater public interest in taking the time necessary to ensure the information has been properly collated and checked before it is published as planned. Also, we see no public interest in disrupting our programme of work to release the information ahead of the intended publication date.

Details of ministerial engagements, travel and gifts will be published at the links below: Ministerial engagements, travel and gifts - gov.scot.

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.

An exemption under section 39(1) of FOISA applies to some of the information you have requested, relating to the costs incurred for this trip in relation to security matters for the First Minister. 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.

Response to Your Request – Part B

In regard to your request for documents related to the First Minister’s trip to Shetland I enclose a copy of some of the information you requested in the format you asked for.

A number of exemptions under Section 29(1)(a) – “formulation or development of government policy” and/or “Section 30(b)(1) “the free and frank provision of advice” apply to some of the information you have requested.

In particular, ahead of the First Minister’s trip advice was sought on potential options for the first Minister to visit. Those options were considered and officials checked if particular options were suitable given the timeslots available.

Further, once the programme was agreed then formal briefing was commissioned and went through a number of drafts as the information, communications and programme were finalised. A number of documents covered by these exemptions have been withheld in full.

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 the basis on which certain options were considered is of interest. However, there is a greater public interest in allowing a private space within which Scottish Government staff can provide full and frank advice to Ministers until a final program of visits and events is finalised. This private thinking space is essential to enable all options to be properly considered, based on the best available advice, so that good policy decisions can be taken. Premature disclosure is likely to undermine the full and frank discussion of issues between Ministers and officials, which in turn will undermine the quality of the First Ministers visits and events, which would not be in the public interest.

An exemption under section 38(1)(b) of FOISA (personal information) has been applied. This exemption applies because the information is the personal data of third parties (members of staff and individuals contacted by those members of staff) and disclosing it would contravene the data protection principles set out in Article 5(1) of the UK General Data Protection Regulation and in section 34(1) of the Data Protection Act 2018. 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.

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FOI 202500483320 - Information Released - Annex

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