Classification and ancillary costs of former First Minister's travel to Qatar: FOI release

Information requested

I am requesting information regarding the decision-making process, classification, and public expenditure related to trips undertaken by the former First Minister, Humza Yousaf, to Qatar between 29 March 2023 and 7 May 2024.

Please provide:

1. Trip Classification Protocol: Any internal correspondence, briefing notes, or submissions provided to the Permanent Secretary or the First Minister’s Private Office discussing whether the trip to Qatar in February 2024 should be classified as "personal," "official," or a "mixed mandate" visit.

2. Incidental Public Expenditure: Excluding direct security costs (which I understand may be exempt), please provide a total for any incidental costs charged to the Scottish Government in relation to this trip. This includes:

• Use of government electronic devices (roaming charges) in Qatar;
• Official gifts presented to Qatari officials or dignitaries;
• Expenses claimed for "official business" conducted during the "personal" trip (e.g., taxis to diplomatic meetings, subsistence for official engagements).

3. Diplomatic Assistance: A count of Scottish Government officials (FCDO or Scottish Government International Directorate staff) based in the region who provided on-the-ground logistical support, airport facilitation, or briefing materials for this trip, regardless of its "personal" classification.

4. Retrospective Reclassification: Any correspondence regarding the potential "reclassification" of any part of this trip as official business for the purpose of expense claims or diary recording.

Public Interest & Exemption Management:

• Regarding Section 39 (Health & Safety): I am explicitly not requesting details of security protocols, team numbers, weaponry, or specific hotel room numbers. I am requesting administrative and financial classifications. Therefore, Section 39 should not apply to the administrative decision of how to classify the trip.
• Regarding Section 30 (Effective Conduct of Public Affairs): There is a significant public interest in transparency regarding the "Personal vs Official" distinction. If a First Minister conducts foreign diplomacy (even informally) while on a "personal" trip, the public has a right to know if public assets (diplomatic staff, secure comms) were utilized. This outweighs the interest in private deliberation.

Response

For part 1 of your request, some of the information you have requested on ‘Trip Classification Protocol’ is publicly available from https://www.gov.scot/publications/foi-202400402828. Under section 25(1) of FOISA, we do not have to give you information which is already reasonably accessible to you.

If, however, you do not have internet access to obtain this information from the website(s) listed, then please contact me again and I will send you a paper copy. With regards to 'internal correspondence, briefing notes, or submissions provided to the Permanent Secretary or the First Minister’s Private Office', following a search of Scottish Government records no information was found, therefore section 17(1)(b) of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act applies, as the Scottish Government does not hold this information, given this was a personal trip.

For part 2 of your request on ‘Incidental Public Expenditure’, all of the information you have requested is publicly available from https://www.gov.scot/publications/foi-202400402828. Under section 25(1) of FOISA, we do not have to give you information which is already reasonably accessible to you.

If, however, you do not have internet access to obtain this information from the website(s) listed, then please contact me again and I will send you a paper copy. This confirms no costs were charged to the Scottish Government, given this was a personal trip.

For part 3 of your request relating to ‘Diplomatic Assistance’, all of the information you have requested is publicly available from https://www.gov.scot/publications/foi-202400402828. Under section 25(1) of FOISA, we do not have to give you information which is already reasonably accessible to you.

If, however, you do not have internet access to obtain this information from the website(s) listed, then please contact me again and I will send you a paper copy. This confirms that logistical assistance was offered to the First Minister for his arrival at the airport in Qatar, however he politely declined this offer due to this trip being a personal holiday. No Scottish Government officials are based in Qatar.

For part 4 of your request regards your ask on 'Retrospective Reclassification', following a search of Scottish Government records I can confirm that no information was found, therefore section 17(1)(b) of the FOISA applies – the Scottish Government does not hold the information requested.

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