Communications between the Director of Law Reform at the Law Society of Scotland and the former Finance Secretary: FOI release

Information requested

Information contained in all documents, meetings, communications and discussions held by the Scottish Government, in relation to any meetings (including numbers of, locations), communications and discussions between Michael Clancy of the Law Society of Scotland and Finance Secretary Derek Mackay until Mr Mackay quit the position as Finance Secretary.

Response

Derek Mackay MSP served as Cabinet Secretary with responsibility for finance between 18 May 2016 and 6 February 2020.

The Scottish Government can confirm that a meeting took place on 27 July 2016 between the then Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Constitution and Michael Clancy. This is recorded in the publicly available publication in line with the Scottish Ministerial Code 2016 paragraph 4.22: Ministerial engagements, travel and gifts: July 2016 - gov.scot.

As this information is already reasonably accessible to you, it is exempt from disclosure under section 25(1) of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (information otherwise accessible). However, in accordance with our duty to provide advice and assistance, the relevant publication can be accessed here: https://www.gov.scot/publications/ministerial-engagements-travel-and-gifts-july-2016/

We have carried out searches of our electronic record systems and relevant Directorates. The Scottish Government does hold a ministerial engagement briefing prepared in advance of the meeting noted, which is provided within the attahced Annex. These searches have not identified any minute, note, or other formal written record of the meeting that took place on 27 July 2016. This is a formal notice under section 17(1) of FOISA that the Scottish Government does not hold any recorded information created as a record of that meeting.

We have also undertaken searches for correspondence or other recorded communications between Michael Clancy and Derek Mackay within the period specified in your request. We have identified one item of correspondence dated June 2016 relating to a request for a meeting, which falls within scope and is provided within the Annex. With the exception of these items, no further recorded information within the scope of your request has been identified.

Personal data relating to staff below Senior Civil Service level has been redacted under section 38(1) (b) of FOISA.

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FOI 202600514522 - Information released - Annex

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