Tripartite Alignment Group Information: FOI release

Information requested

I would like to request any papers that were submitted to the Tripartite Alignment Group for discussion in 2026. I would  also like to request any available minutes for meetings of Tripartite Alignment Group that have taken place in 2026. If there is a schedule of meetings for the Tripartite Alignment Group could this be provided? Could we be provided with the latest constitution of the Tripartite Alignment Group.

Response

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance we are unable to provide the information you have requested. The first meeting of the College Tripartite Alignment Group (TAG) this year was on Wednesday 6 May.

At the time of your request, one paper had been submitted to the Tripartite Alignment Group for discussion (Tripartite Alignment Group meeting 16 December 2025 – note of meeting). This will be published to the Group webpage in the coming weeks: Colleges: Tripartite Alignment Group - gov.scot (www.gov.scot).

An exemption under section 27(1) of FOISA applies here because we intend to publish that information by 16 July, which is within 12 weeks of the date of your request. We consider that it is reasonable to withhold the information until that date, rather than release routinely published information before the planned publication date.

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 some public interest in release because as part of open, transparent and accountable government, and to inform public debate and this will be met by our planned publication. In the meantime, there is a greater public interest in taking the time necessary to ensure the information has been properly collated and checked before it is published as planned. Also, we see no public interest in disrupting our programme of work to release the information ahead of the intended publication date.

It may be helpful to be aware that going forward, all minutes and papers from meetings of the Tripartite Alignment Group will be published on the Group webpage (above).

I can confirm that there are no planned dates for future TAG meetings and we therefore can’t share a schedule at this time.

The Group’s terms of reference is publicly available on the Group’s webpage: through the above link.

An exemption under section 25(1) of FOISA therefore applies as the information requested is already publicly available.

Section 25 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (FOISA) exempts information from disclosure where the requester can reasonably obtain the information without asking for it under FOISA.

This exemption is not subject to the ‘public interest test’.

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.