New Scottish Veterinary Service (SVS) information: EIR release

Information requested

Field animal health and welfare functions currently delivered by the Animal and Plant Health Agency in Scotland are to be replaced by a new Scottish Veterinary Service (SVS).

Speaking at the NFUS AGM, the Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon gave the green light to the new service, which will be developed within the lifetime of the current Parliament.

https://www.gov.scot/news/creating-opportunities-in-veterinary-and-animal-health-services/

This reads as an unequivocal commitment in 2022. No question of ‘scoping out a case’. The case was made in the commissioned report and accepted as a commitment three years ago.

Can you please provide a copy of the conclusions of the scoping exercise, details of the costs to create the service and any brifing to the Minister?

Response

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

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 exceptions under Regulation 10(4)(e) (internal communications), and Regulation 11(2) (applicant has asked for personal data of a third party) of the EIRs applies to that information. The reasons why these exceptions applies are explained in the Annex to this letter.

ANNEX

An exception applies

Regulation 10(4)(e) – internal communications [in relation to general policy and decision-making]

An exception under regulation 10(4)(e) of the EIRs (internal communications) applies to some of the information you have requested because it is internal communication between Scottish Government Ministers and officials about the Scottish Veterinary Service Programme, including options and recommendations to Scottish Ministers.

This exception 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 exception. We have found that, on balance, the public interest lies in favour of upholding the exception. We recognise that there is some public interest in release as part of open, transparent and accountable government, and to inform public debate. However, there is a greater public interest in high quality policy and decision-making, and in the properly considered implementation and development of policies and decisions. This means that Ministers and officials need to be able to consider all available options and to debate those rigorously, to fully understand their possible implications. Their candour in doing so will be affected by their assessment of whether the discussions on the Scottish Veterinary Service Programme, including options and recommendations to Scottish Ministers, will be disclosed in the near future, when it may undermine or constrain the Government’s view on that policy while it is still under discussion and development.

Regulation 11(2) – applicant has asked for personal data of a third party

An exception under regulation 11(2) of the EIRs (personal information) applies to some of the information requested because it is personal data of a third party and disclosing it would contravene the data protection principles in Article 5(1) of the General Data Protection Regulation and in section 34(1) of the Data Protection Act 2018. This exception 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 exception.

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.

EIR 202500485047 - Information released - Documents

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