Documentation and costs of producing the "We are Scotland" video: FOI release

Information requested

Could you provide the full costs of producing the Scottish Government's kind, welcoming and video, with a full breakdown of cost?

https://x.com/scotgov/status/1996882239288713332

Could you also provide all documentation held about the production of this video, including correspondence sent and received internally, minutes/notes from meetings?

Could you also provide whether permission was granted by the permanent secretary for this video?

Response

Could you provide the full costs of producing the Scottish Government's kind, welcoming and video, with a full breakdown of cost?

https://x.com/scotgov/status/1996882239288713332

Scottish Government marketing activity is commissioned through the Marketing Services Framework https://www.gov.scot/publications/procurement-marketing-services-framework/. The total cost is £144,287.62, correct at time of writing. This cost includes rates for services procured by the Creative Services agency, and approved by the Scottish Government. These rates for distinct services and elements of production cannot be disclosed by the Scottish Government as they represent commercially-sensitive information and an exemption under s33(1)(b) of FOISA (Commercial Interest) applies. Marketing Spend for the Scottish Government is reconciled at the end of each financial year and published annually here: Marketing spend - gov.scot

Could you also provide all documentation held about the production of this video, including correspondence sent and received internally, minutes/notes from meetings?

Please see the attached documentation. There are 7 documents in total listed below.

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance we are unable to provide some the information you have requested. Names, addresses and personal information have been redacted under exemption 38(1)(b) - Third party personal data as we do not consider that we have a lawful basis under which to process the personal data for the purposes of answering the request.

The exemption under section 30 (b) (ii) of FOISA (Free and Frank provision of advice) also applies in some areas of the response. This exemption applies because disclosure would, or would be likely to, inhibit substantially the free and frank exchange of views for the purposes of deliberation. This exemption recognises the need for Ministers and officials to have a private space within which to discuss and explore options before the Scottish Government reaches a settled public view. 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.

Documents are:

1. Collated internal and external email documents about the video production
2. Ministerial correspondence
3. Excerpt from Ministerial Submission relating to video production
4. Excerpt from Marketing brief commissioning the We Are Scotland video
5. Production document - Timing plan, detailing what will happen and when
6. Production document - Casting brief, detailing the call for actors
7. Pre-production meeting document, the final document outlining production plans

Could you also provide whether permission was granted by the permanent secretary for this video?

The usual process for developing marketing activity does not require approval from the Permanent Secretary.

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 202500497287 - Information released - Documents

File type

PDF

File size

11.2 MB