Deputy First Minister’s trip to Canada: FOI release

Information requested

The total cost of the Deputy First Minister’s October 2025 trip to Canada broken down by category  of expense – for example, flights, accommodation, and food.

A list of the number of people accompanying the Deputy First Minister on the trip, and their  titles.

A list of people or organisations the Deputy First Minister met with in Canada.

Response

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Scottish Government does not have some of the information you have requested. The reason why we don't hold this information is because some of the costs associated with this engagement were not finalised at the time of the request. This is a formal notice under section 17(1) of FOISA that the Scottish Government does not have some of the information you have 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 an exemption under section 38(1)(b) (personal information) of FOISA applies to that information. This applies to the personal information (such as names) of non-senior civil servants.

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.

The costs that were available at the time of the request are:

Flights:

• DFM - £2074
• PS - £1521.34
• SG Canada Staff + Desk Officer - £3709.94
• Additional bus transfer for Desk Officer - £82.47

Total: £7387.75
Accommodation:

• DFM - £474.22
• PS - £474.22
• SG Canada Staff + Desk Officer - £1896.88​​​​​​​

Total: £2845.32

A list of the number of people accompanying the Deputy First Minister on the trip, and their titles.
Deputy Private Secretary
Head of Scottish Government Canada
Deputy Head of Scottish Government Canada
Communications and Planning Officer, Scottish Government Canada
International Relations Desk Officer

A list of people or organisations the Deputy First Minister met with in Canada.
University of Guelph
TD Bank
Northland Power
Saltire Foundation Canada
Brookfield
Nova Scotia Minister for Energy, The Hon. Trevor Boudreau
Nova Scotia Minister for Gaelic Affairs, The Hon. Dave Ritcey
Nova Scotia Minister of Growth and Development, The Hon. Colton LeBlanc
Halifax Chamber of Commerce
Gaelic Business Initiative
His Honour the Honourable Mike Savage, ONS, Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia
Speaker of the House, Nova Scotia Legislature, The Hon. Danielle Barker
Nova Scotia Government Gaelic Affairs
Nova Scotia Gaelic Council
​​​​​​​Kody Blois, MP​​​​​​​

About FOI

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