Correspondence regarding combating knife crime: FOI release

Information requested

You asked for all documentation held by the Scottish Government, including correspondence sent and received (including internal), minutes/notes from meetings, briefings and analysis, about combating knife crime, from the last month.

Response

Thank you for narrowing the scope of your request to one month instead of your previous FOI request for information over three months. This has helped us to be able to provide you with a copy of some of the information you requested.

I enclose a copy of some of the information you requested. Part of the information you requested include Parliamentary Questions, which are available on the Scottish Parliament Website . Under section 25(1) of FOISA, it is not necessary to provide you with information which is already reasonably accessible to you. If, however, you do not have internet access to obtain this information from the website, then please contact me again and I will send you a paper copy.

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 section(s) s.30(b)(i) (free and frank provision of advice, s.28(1) (Substantial prejudice to UK relations) and s.38(1)(b) (Third party personal data) of FOISA applies to that information. The reasons why those exemptions apply are explained in the Annex to this letter.

Annex

Reasons for not providing information

s.30(b)(i) Substantial inhibition to free and frank provision of advice

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 information forms part of our response to violence prevention including knife crime. However, this is outweighed by the public interest because disclosure would, or would be likely to, inhibit substantially the free and frank provision of advice and candid discussions.
This exemption recognises the need for officials to have a private space within which to discuss options candidly and to provide free and frank advice to Ministers before the Scottish Government reaches a settled public view.

s.28 - Substantial prejudice to UK relations

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 information forms part of our response to violence prevention including knife crime however some of the information mention discussion with UK Government colleagues and involve the formulation and development of Scottish Government policy.

s.38(1)(b) Third party personal data

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 202500488141 - Information Released - Annex

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