Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Energy's expenses for COP30: FOI release

Information requested

All receipts, approvals and confirmations of travel, accommodation and expenses incurred by Gillian Martin and her office at COP.

Response

I enclose a copy of most of the information you requested in the attached document, this includes confirmations of travel bookings and approval to travel to attend COP30.

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 various sections of the FOISA. Please see the exemptions that have been applied, along with an explanation for why they have been applied, below:

• s.27(1) – information held with a view to publication
• s.29(1)(d) – Ministerial private office: this has been applied to information related to the operation of a Ministerial private office.
• s.38(1)(b) - Personal data relating to third party: information has been withheld that relates to the personal data of third parties where appropriates

Section 27 (1) has been applied to your request for expenses incurred by the Cabinet Secretary at COP, this information will be proactively published on the Scottish Government in line with the Ministerial code in early February.

An exemption under section 29(1)(d) of FOISA (Ministerial private office) applies to some of the information requested because it relates to the operation of any Ministerial private office. 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 a public interest in disclosing information as part of open, transparent and accountable government, to ensure private offices operate efficiently and to inform public debate. However, there is a greater public interest in allowing a private space for private office staff to engage with each other to support the logistics of a Ministerial overseas visit. This private space allows for all options to be properly considered and discussed, and feedback provided, which in turn ensures the effective operation of a private office.

An exemption under section 38(1)(b) of FOISA (personal information) applies to 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.

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 202500497042 - Information released - Annex A

File type

PDF

File size

1.2 MB