Records from engagements of Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, External Affairs and Culture: FOI release

Information requested

Records from below engagements of Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, External Affairs and Culture:-

1. 01/08/2025 Formal Opening/Launch Fran Hegyi OBE, Executive Director, Edinburgh International Festival; Nicola Benedetti, Festival Director, Edinburgh International Festival; James Graham, Writer, ‘Make it Happen’ Edinburgh International Festival

2. 07/08/2025 Media / Press Launch Amina Shah, National Librarian and Chief Executive, National Library of Scotland Culture Nastassja

3. 07/08/2025 Formal Opening/Launch Kim McAleese, CEO; Lucy Cargill, Senior Development Manager; Eleanor Edmondson, Curator, Edinburgh Art Festival Edinburgh Art Festival

4. 12/08/2025 Reception Jenny Niven, Director, Edinburgh International Book Festival International Book Festival

5. 13/08/2025 Formal Opening/Launch Tony Lankester, Chief Executive and Sarah Dodd, Arts Industry Manager, Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society Made in Scotland

6. 14/08/2025 Performance Made in Scotland Festival

7. 15/08/2025 Performance Fran Hegyi OBE, Executive Director & Nicola Benedetti, Festival Director, Edinburgh International Festival; Christopher Hampson CBE, CEO and Artistic Director & Steven Roth, Executive Director, Scottish Ballet International Festival

8. 16/08/2025 Performance John McPhail, Director; Golda Rosheuvel, Actor; Jane Horrocks, Actor; Dominic McLaughlin, Actor; Wendy Griffin, Producer; Priya Rose, Actor; Jeremy Swift, Actor International Film Festival

9. 20/08/2025 Reception Representatives from key theatres and performing arts organisations in Scotland, including National Theatre of Scotland, and UK Theatre Festivals

10. 18/08/2025 Reception Scott McDonald, Chief Executive, British Council; Norah Campbell, Head of Arts, British Council Scotland; Claire de Braekeleer, incoming Director, British Council Scotland Culture

Response

I enclose a copy of most 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 of exemptions under sections 30(b)(i) (Free and frank provision of advice), 33(1) b) (Commercial interests) and 38(1)(b) (Personal information) of FOISA applies to that information. The reasons why these exemptions applies are explained below:

Sections 30(b)(i) – this exemption applies because disclosure would, or would be likely to, inhibit substantially the free and frank provision of advice. This exemption recognises the need for officials to have a private space within which to provide free and frank advice to Ministers andothe r officials before the Scottish Government reaches a settled public view. Disclosing the content of free and frank advice will substantially inhibit the provision of such advice in the future.

Section 33(1)(b) - the information is sensitive financial information of a third party organisation, and disclosure would (or would be likely to) prejudice substantially the commercial interests of any person or organisation.

Section 38(1)(b) - An exemption under section 38(1)(b) of FOISA (personal information) applies to a some of the information requested because it is personal data of a third party, i.e. names and contact details of individuals, 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 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. These exemptions regulate the relationship between FOISA, the UK General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018.

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 202500496309 - Information released - Annex A

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PDF

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1.2 MB