Details of telephone call between the Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Professor Alexis Jay: FOI release

Information requested

On 17 December 2025, it was reported in the media that Angela Constance apologised to Professor Alexis Jay via phone call. Angela Constance apologises to grooming gangs expert - BBC News

In regard to this phone call

1. Were any minutes from this phone meeting taken? Please provide them if so.

2. Was Ms Constance provided with a briefing ahead of this meeting? Please provide this if so.

3. Please also provide any briefings provided to Ms Constance ahead of any meetings she had with Professor Jay between 1 August 2025 and 17 December 2025.

Response

Some of the information you have requested is publicly available. Under section 25(1) of FOISA, we do not have to give you information which is already accessible to you. You can access that information here: Letter from the Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs to the Convener of 17 December 2025.

I can confirm that the Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs was not provided with a briefing for her phone meeting with Professor Jay on 1 December 2025, and, also, that no other  meeting took place between the Cabinet Secretary and professor Jay in the time-frame you requested.

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