Jamie Hepburn trip to John Clark Motor Group: FOI release

FOI reference: FOI/17/02760
Date received: 1 November 2017
Date responded: 20 December 2017

Information requested

(A) Any guidance issued or investigations began on the use of ministerial cars following the recent claims of misuse during the General Election.

(B) I would also like to ask for any correspondence, including any evidence that the car was being used for Scottish Government business, the application for the car to be used for this business and the diary for the minister on that day (including who they were meeting and who their visits were with), on the use of ministerial cars for the following trips:

1. Mike Russell being taken to Stirling train station on 30 May 2017.

2. Mike Russell being taken from an event hosted by Joanna Cherry on 1 June 2017 on Lanark Road Edinburgh.

3. Mark McDonald being taken from Burnfoot Community Hub on 2 June 2017 (could I also request the diary for the 1 June 2017 for this as well).

4. Jamie Hepburn being taken to Shettleston train station on 17 May 2017.

5. Jamie Hepburn being taken to John Clark Motor Group on 1 June 2017.

Response

(A) While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested.

This is a formal notice under section 17(1) of FOISA that the Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested.

(B) In relation to your request for correspondence the Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested. This is because Ministerial Private Offices only retain emails for 3 months after receipt. This in line with standard records management procedure. This is a formal notice under section 17(1) of FOISA that the Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested.

Guidance for using the Government car service

1 & 2 - Information relating to this request can be found at: /publications/foi-17-02474/

3 - Information relating to this request can be found at: /publications/foi-17-02439/

4 - Information relating to this request can be found at: /publications/foi-17-02422/

5 - Information relating to this request can be found in Annex A.

Annex A

Minister for Employability and Training - Jamie Hepburn MSP

Thursday 1st of June 2017

08:30 – 09:00 Travel from Norwood Hotel to Robert Gordon University (GCS)
09:00 – 10:00 Announcement at Robert Gordon University – Launch of Graduate Level Apprenticeships
10:00 – 10:30 Travel from Robert Gordon University to John Clark Motor Group (GCS)
10:30 – 11:30 Visit to John Clark Motor Group
11:30 – 13:30 Private engagements
13:30 – 16:30 Travel from John Clark Motor Group to home (GCS)

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